NEW DELHI: A 27-year-old Iraqi woman got a new lease of life after undergoing a seven-hour surgery here for removal of a “rare recurrent tumour”, thereby allowing her to eat food properly after a gap of three years, doctors said on Saturday.
The tumour sized 3x3 cm was removed from the lower jawbone of the patient at a city hospital recently, they said.
Rasha Mohammad was initially treated in her home country for the tumour, which was resected and a reconstruction plate placed to bridge the gap in the jawline, doctors said.
“However, as this rare recurrent tumour — ameloblastoma — relapsed, the lower jaw got maligned that proved difficult to bite, chew and eat food properly,” Fortis Hospital said in a statement. The relapsed tumour on the right side of her lower jawbone had also resulted in physical disfigurement. Consequently, the right side of the face was depressed with deviation of chin. A team of doctors at Fortis Hospital, Vasant Kunj, performed a surgery to cure her of the rare tumour and help her eat food properly after a gap of more than three years, the statement said.
The whole jaw was realigned for the patient to bite correctly and chew properly, the doctor said. “The entire surgery took seven hours. We have been able to achieve more than expected for the patient. The tumour has been removed, the jaw has been reconstructed and the patient’s looks are brought back to normal. She can bite properly and eat normal food,” Malhotra said. The Iraqi woman has gone back to her home country after the operation, hospital authorities said.
(With PTI inputs)