How doctors cured an Emirati woman who had ‘food fear’

She suffered pain from simply smelling food, and had to endure nausea, fever

An Abu Dhabi Hospital has successfully treated an Emirati woman who had developed ‘food fear’ as a result of a painful abdominal condition.

The patient was diagnosed with mesenteric angina, which occurs when blocked or narrowed arteries restrict blood flow to the small intestines. The condition left her with severe abdominal pain, nausea and fever, including pain from simply smelling food because she did not have sufficient blood supply to the gut.

Having lost significant amounts of weight, the patient had approached Shaikh Shakhbout Medical City.

High-risk procedure

Dr Mohammad Baguneid, consultant and chair of the vascular surgery at the hospital, conducted the procedure to unblock the vessels along with Dr Shahbazali Patil and Dr Ravi Gadahadh, radiology professionals.

A multidisciplinary team consisting of a dietitian, anaesthetist, vascular surgeon, and vascular interventional radiologist was brought on board to help with the treatment.

The high-risk procedure took around three hours, where they deployed a stent into one of the patient’s bowel arteries through her arm artery.

Overcoming food fear

The patient was discharged around two days after the procedure. The dietitian is now helping her overcome her food fear, and assisting in managing her diet after the operation.