• Neuromonitoring is used to assess the functional integrity of the brain, brainstem, spinal cord, or peripheral and cranial nerves during surgery

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates: Doctors at Tawam Hospital, part of the Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (SEHA), the UAE’s largest healthcare network, successfully used neuro monitoring to ensure facial nerve integrity in a complex surgery. The surgery was performed on a 70-year-old Eritrean patient with basal cell carcinoma, a type of skin cancer that most often develops on areas of skin exposed to the sun, such as the face.

People residing in countries with  higher-than-average annual sunshine, such as the UAE and Africa, are at an increased risk of skin cancer. In fact, skin cancer represents one of the most common male malignancies in the UAE, with a prevalence rate of 14.5%.

Neuromonitoring is often used in complex surgeries, involving the nervous system, to assess the integrity of vital functions. The primary goal is to alert the surgeon and anesthesiologist to impending injury to allow modifications in time to prevent permanent damage. Additionally, it is sometimes used to map areas of the nervous system to guide procedural management.

The complex and unique procedure involved two surgeries – first, a 14-hour surgery to remove the tumor and repair the defect with a forearm flap. The second stage operation was a parotidectomy (removal of the parotid glands, major salivary glands) using nerve monitoring and a simultaneous bilateral neck dissection and removal of the peri-auricular tumor.

Further elaborating on the surgery, Dr Muwaffaq Al Ani, oral maxillofacial consultant, Tawam Hospital, at SEHA, said: “The patient presented with basal cell carcinoma which had  spread extensively through his face. The complete resection surgery was particularly unique and complicated owing to the proximity of the tumor to his eye, brain, and facial nerve. Neuromonitoring, therefore, played a very critical role in the success of this surgery to ensure that we maintain the integrity of the facial nerve and prevent facial paralysis. The multidisciplinary team at Tawam Hospital has extensive experience in managing complex head and neck cancer cases, providing resection and reconstruction followed by rehabilitation. We are upremely proud of the team’s commitment, sacrifice, and efforts towards achieving positive patient outcomes.”

The multi-specialty team comprised maxillofacial surgeons, otolaryngologists, plastic surgeons, and orthopedic surgeons. Tawam offers expert cross-disciplinary teams to ensure the delivery of the highest standard of comprehensive care.

Tawam Hospital is a JCI accredited, integrated and tertiary referral hospital encompassing major specialties and medical facilities such as ICU, ER, MRI, X-Ray, pathology, laboratory, pharmacy, specialty clinics, academic programs hospital with highly experienced and qualified medical consultants, and characterized by an efficient appointment process and less waiting time.

To find out more about Tawam Hospital’s surgical capabilities, please call 800 50 or visit www.seha.ae/. You can also book an appointment through the SEHA Mobile app or WhatsApp us on 02-4102200.

-Ends-

About SEHA:

The Abu Dhabi Health Services Company PJSC–SEHA – is an independent, public joint stock company created to develop the curative activities of the public healthcare system in Abu Dhabi. The company owns and operates all the public hospitals and clinics of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.

SEHA is a PureHealth asset, the UAE's largest integrated healthcare platform.

SEHA is committed to continuous improvement of customer care to recognized international standards and providing the community with world-class healthcare. SEHA operates 14 hospitals with over 3,000 beds, 70 ambulatory care, family care and urgent care centers and 3 blood banks. Its facilities accommodate 117,162 inpatients annually and conduct 43,262 surgeries, as well as treating more than five million outpatients.

SEHA is one of the largest integrated healthcare providers in the Middle East with more than 14,000 doctors, nurses, ancillary care, and administrative personnel. Learn more at www.seha.ae