Mediclinic City Hospital successfully undertakes complex minimally invasive lung surgery on two-year old patient

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Mediclinic City Hospital has recently operated for the first time on a two-year-old child for the resection of an intra-thoracic mass by thoracoscopy (minimally invasive approach) with excellent results and the patient discharged in 24 hours.  This is a rare surgery which, to our knowledge, is the first-of-its-kind in a private hospital in Dubai.  This was made possible by meticulous planning and the skills of Dr. Ghassan Nakib, Consultant Paediatric Surgeon and a renowned expert in this field.

Mediclinic Middle East has an established track record in pediatric robotic surgery and is a regional pioneer in this field.   Up to now, eight pediatric robotic procedures have been performed, six of which were urological (pyeloplasties) and included two tumour resections, both rare procedures globally.   All patients had excellent outcomes.

Lung malformations in children are well known conditions and usually diagnosed prenatally, but their treatments are different and clear guidelines are not totally established. The indication in most cases, however, is that surgical correction is mandatory. 

At Mediclinic City Hospital, as per international standards, the approach to these malformations should be undertaken by a multidisciplinary team including:

• Paediatric pulmonologist, who knows how to diagnose and investigate and refer for surgery if required
• Paediatric surgeon experienced in thoracic / minimally invasive surgery
• Paediatric anaesthetist who is experienced in complicated surgerys and who are proficient in the gas changes required during the surgery
• Paediatric intensive care expert who can manage the patient in the paediatric intensive care unit after the surgery
• Paediatric radiologist with expert knowledge in the basis of these pathologies to prevent misdiagnosis

The minimally invasive surgical approach has gained acceptance in the last few years as it improves the recovery of the patient, reduces pain and scarring, and results in fewer days spent in hospital.   Robotic assisted surgery in children was introduced 20 years ago and is gaining acceptance worldwide.

Paediatric oncological robotic assisted surgery is relatively recent and presents difficult challenges, for the indications and lack of case in the literature and clear guidelines.

The paediatric surgery department shares the Mediclinic City Hospital’s da Vinci Xi system, and all procedures are performed with cooperation between a paediatric surgeon and adult surgeon/urologist.