Emirati firefighter eager to return to duty after tumour torment

An Emirati emergency worker is ready to get back in the line of fire – after undergoing surgery to remove numerous tumours from his head.

While the unsightly, coin-sized bumps were benign, they meant more than 12 months of torment for Abdulrahman Al Blooshi, an Ajman firefighter.

Unable to put on his firefighter's helmet because of the growths, he was unable to carry out crucial work in the field.

Even the simple pleasure of heading a football was stolen from him as he embarked on a long search for answers, taking in several government hospitals and even a trip to Thailand for treatment.

“It started with one bump behind my right ear and later I had more than eight of them. I am fit and healthy. I exercise and eat healthy,” said Mr Al Blooshi, 32. “I did not understand why these tumours were spreading and refused to go away.”

In the end, the solution was much closer to home. The firefighter turned to Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, where surgeons performed a six-hour procedure – called a free flap – to remove the troublesome tumours and reconstruct the affected areas.

Abdulrahman Al Blooshi was unable to put on his helmet due to the growths on his head before successful surgery brought his woes to an end. This image scan shows the growth on the right side of his skull.

To ensure that Mr Al Blooshi did not have to spend more time out of action than was absolutely necessary, the medical team grafted skin from his thigh rather than his arms.

"In the case of this patient, we took tissue from his thigh to transplant on to his head because he is a fireman and he needs to have full use of his arms for his work," said Dr Mumtaz Khan, chairman of the otolaryngology – head and neck surgery – department at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi.

"Even though he is healing quickly, the grafted area would be sensitive for a while, so the thigh was the better option," Dr Khan said.

“This was a complex operation, but we were confident that the ‘free flap’ reconstructive approach would produce a better patient outcome.

“With two teams, the operation is finished more quickly using this technique, and the patient is under anaesthesia for less time, which is advantageous.”

Dr Lloyd Nanhekhan, a reconstructive surgeon at the hospital, said that although the surgery is far from simple, the rewards for patients are clear.

“Reconstructive surgery after the removal of tumours is clinically and psychologically important. I have previously applied the free-flap technique to a range of surgical cases.

“It is a complex surgery, but since the patient receives material from his or her own body, there is no risk of rejection, although we do continue to monitor their well-being and recovery,” Dr Nanhekhan said.

After surgery, patients are closely monitored for the first three days for signs of thrombosis, or clotting in the blood vessels. Blood pressure is also regularly checked to ensure circulation has stabilised.

“I am a firefighter and wear a helmet as part of my job. I also play football and am quite good at headers. Now I cannot wait to get back to these activities again and spend time with my mother, my nine siblings and my friends,” Mr Al Blooshi said. Three months on from surgery, Mr Al Blooshi is relieved that the tumours have not returned.

He is now waiting for more fat tissue to be removed to smooth out his scalp, so he can put on his helmet and answer those emergency calls once more.