• Deemed inoperable due to its location and size in patient’s home country; Tumor's Compression of Lung, Blood Vessels, and Esophagus Heightened Surgery Risk

Ras Al Khaimah, UAE - Doris Bah Njueng, a 32-year-old Cameroon national, finally found relief from years of suffering and pain at RAK Hospital. In a pioneering surgical feat, the hospital successfully performed minimally invasive thoracoscopic surgery to remove a massive tumor from her chest cavity. This remarkable achievement marks a significant milestone, as typically, surgery for such a large tumor entails open chest surgery—a highly dangerous procedure due to its proximity to critical blood vessels. However, RAK Hospital's multidisciplinary team, comprising experts from the Departments of General Surgery, Cardiac Surgery, and Anesthesia, opted for a minimally invasive thoracoscopic approach.

Minimally invasive thoracic surgery is a way of performing surgery in the chest through small incisions, without making large cuts or incisions in the body, and does not require spreading apart of the ribs.

Ms. Njueng presented to the outpatient department with complaints of progressively increasing chest pain and difficulty swallowing—symptoms she had endured for many years. Following an evaluation in her home country, she was informed of a tumor in her chest, deemed inoperable due to its location and size.

Upon evaluation at RAK Hospital, Ms. Njueng was diagnosed with a large tumor measuring approximately 15 by 20 cm situated in the right chest cavity. The tumor posed a critical threat as it compressed the right lung, its blood vessels, and the esophagus, making surgery extremely risky.

Dr. Shalabh Mohan, Specialist General Surgeon at RAK Hospital and the lead on the case, explains, "Minimally invasive thoracoscopic surgery offers several advantages, including reduced bleeding and trauma during surgery, and faster recovery times. Despite the tumor's size, we opted for complete thoracoscopic resection, successfully removing the entire tumor through a small 5 cm incision."

Remarkably, the surgery was completed with minimal blood loss, requiring no blood transfusion, and Ms. Njueng did not require ventilator support postoperatively. She was able to resume oral intake the day after surgery and was discharged on the fifth postoperative day, with a chest x-ray confirming complete expansion of the right lung and no residual tumor.

"This surgical success exemplifies the collaborative efforts and expertise of our medical team at RAK Hospital," said Dr. Raza Siddiqui, Executive Director at RAK Hospital. "We are immensely proud of this achievement, which highlights our commitment to delivering exceptional healthcare and pioneering advancements in surgical care."

Thanking the team at RAK Hospital, Ms. Njueng said, "I am deeply grateful to the excellent team of doctors at RAK Hospital for successfully performing the complex surgery. I am thankful to God for guiding them through this challenging procedure. Thanks to their expertise and dedication, I am not just okay, but I am doing great now. RAK Hospital has truly done an outstanding job, and I personally recommend anyone experiencing similar issues to consult the team of superb doctors here. The tumor was about 15 by 20 cm in size, and while it wasn't easy, the professional and experienced doctors handled it marvelously."

The successful outcome of Ms. Njueng's surgery underscores RAK Hospital's dedication to pushing the boundaries of medical innovation and providing patients with the highest standard of care.

For more information, please visit https://rakhospital.com/