Officer receives rare surgery at Sharjah hospital
sharjah — A 74-year-old former police officer has been given a new lease of life following a rare shoulder surgery in Sharjah. For four years, Emirati Falah Al Mazmi suffered with chronic shoulder pain, and even travelled to Thailand to try and seek out surgery to fix the problem, to no avail.
But after University Hospital Sharjah (UHS) performed an advanced surgery on Al Mazmi, he is now fully recovered and can carry out all daily tasks without any issues. “I first went to Thailand to receive surgery but I could not afford it. I am deeply grateful for the generosity and expertise I received at UHS. The entire process was smooth and I am amazed by the results. I’m finally living free of pain.”
Al Mazmi underwent a reverse total shoulder replacement, which saw surgeons replace the ball and socket shoulder joint with a special type of prosthesis. A surgery which is very rare in the UAE, it was performed for the first time in the emirate at UHS.
Al Mazmi had been suffering from the pain in his shoulder for four years before arriving at the UHS. He used to feel a ‘popping’ sound when holding heavy items and eventually, could not perform daily tasks like holding a cup. As is common in these cases, the patient was physically active. Falah was an ex-footballer, who also enjoyed fishing. The repetitive motion of using the fishing rod may have caused the conditions for the injury.
Dr Ahmed Abaub, consultant orthopedic surgeon, joint replacement and sports injuries specialist, explained: “The rotator cuff is a group of four muscles and tendons that stabilise the shoulder joint, allowing people to lift and rotate their arms. This patient was suffering from a chronic rotator cuff tear where the tendons are torn on both sides, which caused him continuous pain on a daily basis. In a lot of these cases, the tear gradually increases in size until it becomes substantial enough for shoulder function to be disrupted.”
“He showed clear signs of pseudo paralysis with the loss of function in his right shoulder, unable to lift his arm forward because of torn tendons. We replaced the ball and socket with a special type of prosthesis called reverse total shoulder replacement. The prosthesis replaces the ball and socket and relies on the deltoid, which is a much larger muscle and connects to the humerus instead of the shoulder blade. Thankfully, one of his tendons was functioning properly, so we inserted it again during the surgery,” added Dr Abaub.
Following the advanced surgery, the patient could perform a variety of movements without full extension. He had to undergo a lengthy process of rehabilitation through physiotherapy, spending six days in the hospital where he was tasked with light and gentle exercises that were gradually increased. Following a 12-week rehabilitation programme, he regained 80 per cent functionality without pain. He has now fully recovered and is able to perform all daily tasks without any issues.
reporters@khaleejtimes.com