Tawam Hospital, the UAE's premier health care facility which is affiliated with Johns Hopkins Medicine, a world-class medical institution based in the USA, has announced that the UAE's first tracheal reconstruction surgery was recently performed at Tawam Hospital by Dr. Jack Borders, who is one of the world's leading practitioners in the field of Otolaryngology.
Dr. Borders' successful surgical work brought relief to a 10-year-old Emirati from Abu Dhabi, who for years had been suffering from a breathing disorder. The boy's condition, diagnosed as tracheal stenosis, often left him struggling for breath even when doing minor activities. With the successful operation, the boy is now able to breathe without difficulty and participate in various activities.
"The surgery which I performed was a tracheal reconstruction with an autologous rib graft. It was the first of these procedures to be performed in the UAE as children with this type of anatomic airway obstruction have in the past been sent overseas for surgical repair and reconstruction of the larynx and trachea. Concerned parents will be pleased to know that their children now do not have to leave their homeland for such a life-changing surgery," said Dr. Borders.
The historic operation has been the result of Tawam Hospital's ambitious program to expand its healthcare provision and ultimately become the best-equipped hospital in the UAE. In collaboration with Johns Hopkins Medicine, Tawam Hospital has been heavily investing in medical infrastructure and the latest medical technologies and manpower resources to improve the standard of healthcare in the country. Tawam Hospital has also benefited from its partnership with Johns Hopkins Medicine, which has leveraged its extensive medical resources and affiliations to help raise the quality of service and expertise of Tawam Hospital.
Recalling the successful operation, Dr. Borders said, "With the parents’ consent, I took a piece of the boy's rib cartilage and opened the trachea or windpipe, carefully sculpting the rib to fit exactly into the defect. The grafted rib was then sutured into place, making the repair airtight. I then looked through the larynx or voice box to ensure that the graft had opened the trachea as was intended. I then re-intubated the child and sent him to the ICU, where he stayed for five days while the graft healed into place. When I returned to look again into the trachea, I found it to be widely open and the graft beautifully positioned. I extubated the child and he now breathes without difficulty."
Commenting on the landmark surgical breakthrough, Mr. Michael Heindel, CEO of Tawam Hospital, said, "This is a moment of pride for Tawam Hospital. There is no greater reward to our efforts than to see a patient recover with no difficulty after a successful surgery. Being the first operation of its kind in the UAE, this historic achievement serves as a huge motivator for us to continue our programs and break new ground in the healthcare industry. I commend Dr. Borders for his successful work and we hope to see more of such success stories in the future."
Dr. Borders is one of the world's leading medical experts in the field of otolaryngology, which primarily deals with diseases associated with the ear, nose and throat. Aside from lending his medical expertise to Tawam Hospital, Dr. Borders also serves as the Chief Medical Officer and Chief of Otolaryngology of Johns Hopkins International.
"We at Tawam Hospital will in the future be able to offer pediatric airway reconstruction to children from all over the GCC, treating airway narrowing and blockages, expanding our scope of services and improving the standard of healthcare for children. We also believe that this is among the first of many innovations and new services for children and adults that we will be able to bring to the GCC as our mission as a referral center of excellence expands," concluded Dr. Borders.
