Abu Dhabi: A large, benign tumour that was deforming the face of a 42-year-old man was successfully removed by a team of doctors and surgeons at Mafraq Hospital, which is managed by Bumrungrad International, during a seven hour maxillofacial (head, neck, face and jaw area) procedure on Sunday.
The man suffers from a rare genetic disorder known as Ameloblastoma, which created a curable but potentially recurrent tumour on the right side of his face and neck. Two previous surgeries in other facilities were unsuccessful in treating the growing tumour.
"The tumour was very large, measuring 18cm x 4cm…Surgeries involving the transfer of tissue only have been successfully performed at Mafraq Hospital in the past; however, this procedure involved not just tissue but also bone transfer to reconstruct the patient's jaw… For this case we used the patient's lower leg bone [fibula] in the complicated surgery," Dr A. Nasser Hachem, a cranio-maxillofacial surgery consultant who led the team, explained. During the surgery the man's complete lower jaw (mandible) and floor of his mouth were removed and part of the lymph nodes located on the right side of his neck and 60 per cent of his lower jaw were placed on the right side of the mouth floor to allow surgeons to reconstruct his entire jaw.
Five additional implants, including dental, were also performed to help complete the reconstruction of his lower face.
Doing well
"The patient is currently doing very well after almost three months of hospital stay and close medical observation. I believe this was one of the most complex maxillofacial surgeries ever carried out in the UAE, if not the region, as it integrated different functional facial components such as the mouth, chin, jaw, as well as different tissue types including muscles, bony structures, microsurgery arteries, veins, nerves and finally dental implants," said Dr Christopher Reuter, consultant and chief of the Plastic/Craniofacial Department, who also led the team.
