UAE: Doctors remove patient's eye tumour through nose without incision

Doctors at Tawam Hospital have successfully removed an intra-orbital cavernoma (hemorrhagic tumour located within the eye inside the muscles cone) using an endoscopic approach via the nose and without incisions.

The neurosurgery team, led by Dr Mohammad Al Asha, Consultant Neurosurgeon – Skull Base and Neuroncology at Tawam Hospital, part of the Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (SEHA), performed an endoscopic removal of the tumour through the patient’s nose after the patient was initially presented with progressive bulging of the eye and signs of early visual deterioration.

His scans showed a hemorrhagic lesion within the orbit (eye socket) stuck to his optic nerve which would normally warrant an extensive and risky surgical opening of the orbit to remove the tumour.

Elaborating further on the unique and complex procedure, Dr Mohammad Al Asha said: “The case was complex, given that the lesion was stuck to the patient’s optic nerve and inside the cone created by the muscles surrounding the eyeball. With the expertise and experience of our talented doctors, we managed to isolate the eye muscles preoperatively using special sutures tied around individual muscles, identify individual muscles and planning the surgical approach through a narrow corridor between the eye muscles using pure endoscopic approach through the nose."

“Following the success, we are glad that the patient’s eye returned to its normal position and his vision recovered fully within a few weeks postoperatively. I am extremely proud of the team who performed the surgery. Only a few centres across the globe offer this service.”

Dr Al Asha added: “Our team at Tawam Hospital is well trained and equipped to deal with the most complex and risky brain tumours using minimally invasive techniques with excellent outcomes. Our results are comparable to those of the best international neurosurgery centres around the world. We are currently regional leaders for brain tumours and skull base surgeries.”

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