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Shaikh Khalifa Hospital removes rare heart tumor

Ras Al Khaimah - The patient stayed for nine days and is now discharged in a very good condition, says Dr Chang

 The surgical team in Shaikh Khalifa Specialty Hospital in Ras Al Khaimah have removed a benign tumour from the heart of a 37 year old national woman.
The rare tumour, 5cm long and 3cm wide, was accidently discovered during some preliminary tests in another hospital, according to Dr Jimin Chang, chief medical officer and head of the surgery team in the hospital.
"The lab and radiology tests done show that the woman was suffering from myxoma which is a benign heart tumor that grows in the left atrium, and therefore we immediately had to do an open heart surgery."
During the two-hour surgery, the tumor proved to have swung to the lower pulmonary vein, he added. "We had to remove the rear wall of the left atrium and part of the pulmonary vein then close the gap."
The patient stayed for nine days and is now discharged in a very good condition, Dr Chang said. "The tumor could be the source of embolus which is part of jelly-like mass that might occlude small vessels in brain causing stroke."
The tumor can also exhibit symptoms related to mass-effect in the heart, such as breathing difficulty, dizziness or fainting, chest pain or tightness, fever and weight loss, he elaborated. "However, this case was a usual myxoma whereas the majority of cases show no specific symptoms."
The patient's husband said they were planning to travel to an Asian country due to the complexity of the surgery but in the end they decided to conduct the operation in the Shaikh Khalifa Hospital RAK for its excellent reputation.
"We are all proud that this hospital carries the name of the UAE President and has a great cardiovascular center as this," Dr Chang said.
ahmedshaaban@khaleejtimes.com