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Big tumour removed from woman’s face

DUBAI — A team of doctors at Rashid Hospital has successfully conducted several complicated surgeries to remove a huge malignant tumour from the face of a young Somali woman.

Speaking to Khaleej Times yesterday, Dr Khalid Ghandour, Consultant and Head of Maxillofacial Division, Dental Centre, Rashid Hospital, said the face of the 32-year-old Somali woman, who came to Dubai on a visit visa, was badly disfigured because of her tumour.

“The tumour started spreading rapidly two-and-a-half years ago and almost covered 80 per cent of her mandibles (jaw structure). She was unable to eat solids because she could not swallow,” explained the doctor.

He also said that the tumour appeared on her face when she was a child, but she was unable to get any treatment in Somalia.

“Recently, some of her villagers raised money for her and sent her to Dubai for treatment. Though, legally we could not offer her treatment since she was on a visit visa, on the humanitarian front, we could not say no also.”

“Such tumours are not seen in this part of the world. Because it involved the bone, the tumour was painful and so huge that it could have caused her death,” he said.

Dr Ghandour added that local companies and several people donated funds for her operations. “We carried out five reconstructive surgeries on her. We also had to carry out hip-bone graft on her without disturbing her bone structure,” said the doctor while explaining the procedure.

He also said the woman was also given a new mandible and she will be discharged from the hospital today.