Man survives a rare bone tumour

30-year-old Syrian, Sabbagh Ahmad Faez Mazen visited the hospital due to a painful swelling on his left hand's middle finger.

The increasing pain was causing him difficulty in performing day-to-day activities, both at home and at work.

Burjeel Hospital, Abu Dhabi's leading tertiary care facility, recently treated a rare case involving a tumorous bone growth, with great success. According to the University of Rochester Medical Center, bone cancers are very rare, they account for less than 0.2 per cent of all cancers.

Dr. Rahul Tandon, Consultant - Plastic Surgery at Burjeel Hospital, Abu Dhabi, and his team, treated a 30-year-old Syrian, Sabbagh Ahmad Faez Mazen, who visited the hospital due to a painful swelling on his left hand's middle finger. Mr. Mazen has been consulting specialists in various hospitals within the emirate over the past year but found no relief.

The increasing pain was causing him difficulty in performing day-to-day activities, both at home and at work."Mr. Mazen came to us to consult his medical condition. The problem started with a small swelling in his left hand's middle finger, which grew to approximately 1.5cm in diameter during the course of the year, causing him great pain and discomfort. The intensity of the pain increased during the night, and often kept him awake. He had to resort to taking painkillers to alleviate his condition," said Dr. Tandon.

Mazen's x-ray showed an expansion of the bone in the middle finger and this growth was, in fact, the source of the problem. Dr. Tandon then performed surgery on the finger, and took out the tumor successfully.

"It has been more than two weeks since Mr. Mazen underwent surgery. He responded really well; the swelling and pain in his finger dissipated completely. Further lab tests show that the bony abnormality was benign and self-limiting tumor of the finger. The tumor was responsible for the expansion of the bone and the intensifying pain," said Dr. Tandon.

Tumors in the fingers are not a very common condition.

"These tumors are usually benign and can be cured fully if proper surgery is done to remove them completely," he said. "For most of last year, I was unable to do my usual chores around the house and over time even opening a door was difficult. It also majorly affected my performance at work," said Mazen.

"I was feeling so helpless and incarcerated not being able to do my tasks on my own. My family and I are indebted to Burjeel Hospital, Abu Dhabi for giving me relief from the pain but also providing me with a normal life."

/KT