Abu Dhabi: Tawam Hospital surgeons excise brain tumours from Iraqi woman in 22-hour surgery

Dubai: A 52-year-old Iraqi woman underwent a 22-hour marathon surgery at Tawam Hospital to excise multiple benign tumours from her brain.

The complex surgery was carried out over a course of two days at Tawam Hospital, part of Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (SEHA), the UAE’s largest health-care network, by a multidisciplinary team of specialised surgeons led by Dr Mohammed Asha, the hospital’s consultant neurosurgeon.

Multiple tumours revealed in scans

When the patient was referred to Tawam Hospital, she was suffering from difficulty swallowing, hoarseness and paralysis of the vocal cords on the left side. Examined by a team of ENT specialists and neurologists, images showed the presence of multiple tumours, with some as large as 3 to 6cm in size, in the neck and the base of the skull of the patient, which could not be treated by non-invasive methods.

Two-day complex procedure

After careful examination, the combined team of Neurosurgery and ENT at the hospital arranged a complex surgical plan that included multiple stages of operation over two consecutive days. The procedure started with the tumours being dissected from the woman’s neck before doctors moved up to the base of the skull. On the second day, the surgical team performed a craniotomy to remove the tumours from around the brainstem.

Dr Asha, who specialises in brain tumour surgery and skull base surgery, led the multidisciplinary medical team, which oversaw the successful removal of all traces of the tumours without compromising the patient’s neurological functions. As a result, the patient made a full recovery and was discharged from hospital within a few days. She has since returned to normal life after a period of rehabilitation and physiotherapy.

Such cases were previously categorised as ‘untreatable’, with patients resigned to losing much of their neurological functions over time. However, Tawam Hospital has assembled a highly-skilled multidisciplinary team with extensive experience in new and innovative medical techniques to provide the UAE community with world-class neurosurgery.

Untreatable tumours excised

Dr Asha said: “These tumours require extensive surgical interventions and are often labelled as surgically untreatable due to the complexity and the severe risks involved. Now, with latest technologies and a highly-skilled multidisciplinary medical team, the tumours can be successfully removed without damaging the nerves. With the operation lasting 22 hours, it is an incredibly complex and intricate surgery that is only possible with the dedication and skill of our team at Tawam Hospital. The success of this surgery and the fact that the patient was able to recover in record time with no complications is an incredible milestone that is testament to Seha’s commitment towards offering pioneering multidisciplinary medical care. We are proud to be able to position the UAE as a health-care hub that achieves global standards.”

Family delighted

The patient and her family have since expressed their gratitude to the UAE, its leadership and Seha’s medical team for the great care that she had received. Speaking about the impact of the surgical procedure on his wife, the patient’s husband, Amir Abdel-Khatib, said: “My wife was suffering from constant dizziness caused by a tumour behind the cerebellum and one in her neck. She was having difficulty speaking. I am pleased we made the decision to come to the UAE and visit Tawam Hospital for her treatment. I will be eternally grateful for the efforts of the team at Tawam Hospital and the remarkable difference they have made to my wife’s health and quality of life.”