Surgery saves pilgrim with rare disease

JEDDAH: A team of doctors at King Abdul Aziz Hospital carried out emergency life-saving surgery on a Kazakh pilgrim who was suffering from a rare disease, on the night of Eid Al-Fitr, according to a website.
The 17-year-old Kazakh pilgrim was brought to the emergency department of King Abdul Aziz Hospital in Makkah by his parents on Eid night with pain in his abdomen.
After investigation, it was diagnosed that he had had Hydatid cysts in his abdomen since his childhood. This is a parasitic worm living in the digestive tract of dogs known as echinococcus granulosus. The worm eggs come from dog feces, and are transmitted to cattle through swallowing worm eggs from contaminated pastures.
The doctors carried out emergency surgery to clean the abdomen from the ruptured cyst. Dr. Abdullah Musleh Al-Khazai, surgery consultant at the hospital, carried out the surgery. He was assisted by Dr. Hanan Qadah, surgery specialist, Dr. Wael Maimani, anesthesia consultant, Dr. Sheikh, anesthesia specialist, and a team of anesthesia and surgery technicians on the first night of Eid Al-Fitr.