The thoracic surgeon team at Al-Shefaa Medical Complex in Gaza performed a first-of-its-kind surgery to remove a 7-kg cancerous tumour from a patient who had suffered eight months of dyspnea.
Headed by Dr Raed al-Arini, a thoracic surgeon hired by Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS), the team managed to save the patient’s life.
Hamdan Awad, 63, a resident of Rafah, southern Gaza, said he had felt severe pain, fatigue, and weight loss (due to the disease).
“At first, I was reluctant to go to hospital for treatment, out of fear of the coronavirus. As the pain became more terrible, however, my family admitted me to the Nasser Medical Complex, where I met Dr Saber al-Sarfandi, QRCS’s consultant thoracic surgeon in Gaza, and started the diagnosis and treatment,” he said.
Dr Al-Sarfandi said: “When Awad came to us, we made the standard medical examinations. X-ray showed a fluid swelling in the right lung, and then, the CT scan revealed a large tumor”.
Under medical co-operation, Dr al-Arini was contacted to perform the surgery at the Al-Shefaa Medical Complex, with all the data of the case reported.
According to Dr al-Arini, the surgery was a remarkable medical achievement as such cases were typically referred for treatment out of Gaza. He had already dealt with five similar cases, but smaller in size.
Currently Awad s attending prescribed sessions of physiotherapy. His health is now significantly better.
This surgical intervention falls under QRCS’s $1.4mn project to support specialised surgeries in Gaza, which covers many specialisations, including cardiothoracic, vascular, orthopedic, and urologic surgeries.
Also, it involves local programmes on clinic pharmacology and advanced training in minimally invasive surgery. Other components of the project include supporting MA in Health Management, Diploma of Anesthesia and Intensive care, and phenylketonuria patients.