Dubai labourer paralysed by spinal tumour thanks doctors for helping him walk again

Mohammed Nouman praised medics for giving him a new lease of life after he collapsed at home

Mohammed Nouman, 30, carpenter, at Aster hospital after removing spine tumour. Credit: Aster Hospital

A Dubai labourer paralysed from the waist down after developing a spinal tumour has thanked doctors for helping him to walk again.

Mohammed Nouman, 30, collapsed after suffering severe back pain in May at his labour accommodation in Al Qusais.

His roommate called for an ambulance and Mr Nouman was soon transferred to the nearby Aster Hospital.

Doctors discovered he had a tumour in the spine which had caused damage to the vertebral bones and severe compression to his spinal cord.

He was left bedridden after losing sensation in both legs.

The medical team removed the 10cm tumour and began an extensive treatment and rehabilitation programme to help the Pakistani citizen get back on his feet.

He will require chemotherapy once he has recovered from the surgery, because the cancer has spread to his chest.

But he is looking to the future with optimism.

Vinay Kumar Gurumath, a neurosurgeon at Aster Hospital in Al Qusais. Credit: Aster Hospital

Hope restored

“I felt I wouldn't survive but the doctors restored my hope. I got a new life thanks to the amazing team of doctors in Aster Hospital,” Mr Nouman, who works as a carpenter, told The National.

He described the moment when he collapsed at home , saying "I noticed that I couldn't feel my legs".

"I fell and couldn’t get up again," said Mr Nouman, who has lived in Dubai for ten years.

Vinay Kumar Gurumath, a neurosurgeon at Aster Hospital in Al Qusais, said the road to recovery was challenging for the patient.

“He had no sensation in both legs and no muscle power in his legs and no control over his bowel and bladder when he presented to us,” Dr Gurumath told The National.

Mohammed Nouman, centre with Dr Vinay Kumar Gurumath and the healthcare team at Aster Hospital after surgery. Photo: Aster Hospital

“He underwent surgery for excision of the tumour and decompression of the spinal cord. He also required stabilisation of the spine with instrumentation after removing the affected vertebral bones.”

A biopsy report showed the tumour was cancerous, meaning that surgery to remove it was essential.

“It was a complicated surgery as this cancer is rare," Dr Gurumath said. "We removed the 10cm tumour and part of the bones.

"The patient gradually regained sensation and muscle power in his legs. With regular physiotherapy, he regained strength in both legs and is now able to walk with minimal support,” Dr Gurumath said.

Mr Nouman was discharged from hospital on Tuesday, after receiving crucial care for 27 days.

He will return to hospital next week to have the stitches removed and to plan chemotherapy sessions to follow his recovery from surgery, to address the spread of the cancer.

The cost of treatment was covered by his insurance company.

Mr Nouman expressed his gratitude to Aster Hospital staff for their round-the-clock support.

“I can walk slowly now without walker support, thanks to the amazing team of doctors and healthcare staff. No words can express my feelings now. I can feel with my legs, and this is a new hope to me,” he said.