Dubai: Shaikh Hamdan bin Mohammad bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Dubai Executive Council, took to twitter to praise the pioneering surgery conducted by Dubai Health Authority (DHA) surgeons.
Earlier this month, a 20-member multidisciplinary team headed by Dr Mohammad Olama, paediatric and functional neurosurgeon from Rashid Hospital and Dr Muna Al Tahlak, obstetrician, gynaecologist and CEO of Latifa Hospital for women and children, carried out the complicated five=hour intra uterine surgery on a 25-week male foetus to correct Spina Bifida, a congenital spine defect. This was a first intrauterine surgery for the UAE and the region.
Shaikh Hamdan expressed his pride on twitter. He tweeted two messages spefically congratuating the team and also heaping praise on the stellar contribution of the medical fratenity.
He tweeted: “Our expert Emirati medical talents continue to uplift our confidence in our health care services. To all our medical and nursing staff, you are extremely valued. Thank you for your tireless efforts. The health and happiness of our society is in your hands.”
In the next tweet, he congratulated the Emirati medical team for their pioneering surgery and expressed great pride in the efforts the team made to bring relief and happiness to an Emirati mother.
Spina Bifida is a congenital neural tube defect that occurs in the first month of pregnancy where the spinal cord does not develop or close properly leaving open a bundle of nerves in a sac on the patient’s back. One of the most common causes of Spina Bifida is a deficiency of folic acid in the mother.
These exposed nerves can seriously affect the mobility of the child, disrupt bladder functions and normal healing capacity of the body as well as cause hydrocephaly (filling up of the cerebrospinal fluid in the brain) which requires a brain shunt surgery later. The defect was picked up in the young Emirati mother of two healthy children in her third pregnancy during an ultrasound in the 24th week of her pregnancy. A foetal MRI confirmed the position and location of the spision.
According to members of the team, the foetus which is due to be delivered by the 34th week of pregnancy via C-section, will provide precious time for the spine to develop well.