The patient had no loss of vision after the surgery and recuperated quickly before being discharged from hospital a few days later
Abu Dhabi: A Syrian expat suffering with a large tumour behind his eye has had the cancerous growth successfully removed following a complex procedure at a hospital in Abu Dhabi.
Sameh Razzouk, 33, a father-of-one, had been suffering with redness in his eyes for over a year, only to be prescribed eyedrops every time he visited an eye doctor. After a year of looking for a resolution, an ophthalmologist finally performed a scan, which revealed a large growth behind Razzouk’s right eye.
Shocking diagnosis
“I was bothered by the redness, but I never suspected that it could be a tumour. The diagnosis floored me, and I began searching for a surgeon to remove the growth. Unfortunately, many experts I approached said the location of the tumour made the surgery too risky,” Razzouk told Gulf News. His search led him to Dr. Habibullah Eatamadi, consultant ophthalmologist and oculoplastic surgeon and Dr. Ohood Almazrouie, ophthalmic specialist at the Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City in Abu Dhabi.
Surgical risksDr. Eatamadiperformed a number of scans. He explained the possible risks of the procedure. But he also assured me that the team would try its utmost, and call on the help of maxillofacial experts at the hospital,” Razzouk said.
By then, Razzouk, who works as a jeweler, had begun suffering debilitating headaches. And although his vision was still intact, his right eye had begun to bulge by more than many millimeters.
He consented to the surgery, which was supposed to take about five hours to remove a growth estimated to be about 3.5 centimetres in size. The actual procedure however took eight hours, as the tumour turned out to be bigger at 4.2 centimetres. Procedure
The surgical team, included Dr. Eatamadi and Dr. Almarzouie,opened up Razzouk’s skull to remove the growth without damaging nerves in the area. The maxillofacial team, led by Dr. Colin Maciver, consultant maxillofacial head and neck surgeon, provided access to the tumour by removing part of the temporal bone at the orbit using 3D surgical navigation, and the ophthalmology team removed the tumour. The surgery was deemed risky, especially as tumours in this location are rather rate.
No loss of visionAfter the procedure, Razzouk was delighted to find that he had had no loss of vision. “The operating team was equally happy when I told him that I could still see with my right eye when the bandages were removed,” Razzouk said.
He was discharged three days after the procedure, and three months on, has returned to his normal life.
“The success of this challenging surgery was the result of the extraordinary efforts undertaken by our multidisciplinary team. Our primary mission is to place the needs of our patients first, and provide the best care possible to them closer to home by making accessible a wide range of effective treatments right here in Abu Dhabi,”Dr. Eatamadi said.
Looking forwardRazzouk is now able to live normally, and is looking forward to the arrival of a second child.
“I am so grateful to Allah and Sheikh Shakhabout Medical City, who helped remove the tumour successfully. I can look forward to a fulfilled life with my family, and I am tremendously thankful for this blessing,” he said.
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