Muscat: Dr. Ahmed bin Salem Al-Aufi, Consultant Vascular and Accident Surgeon at Khoula Hospital, said the patient had presented with persistent pain in the upper left side of the abdomen. Initial ultrasound examinations, followed by a CT scan, revealed a splenic artery aneurysm measuring approximately 2.8 centimetres, classified as a high-risk condition requiring urgent surgical intervention, given that rupture can be fatal in more than 80 per cent of cases.
Dr Al-Aufi explained that the decision to proceed with surgery was life-saving, with the team opting for an endoscopic approach instead of traditional open surgery. The minimally invasive technique was chosen due to its multiple advantages, including faster recovery, smaller surgical wounds, fewer respiratory and musculoskeletal complications, and a shorter hospital stay, an important consideration as the patient was caring for an infant.
He noted that the operation posed significant challenges, primarily due to the aneurysm’s proximity to vital organs such as the pancreas and stomach, as well as the presence of delicate arterial branches that increased the risk of bleeding or rupture during surgery. Despite these complexities, the procedure was completed successfully through meticulous pre-operative planning and close coordination between surgical, anaesthesia and nursing teams.
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Among the key benefits for the patient following the operation, Dr Al-Aufi highlighted the elimination of the risk of fatal arterial rupture, overall improvement in health, and a quicker recovery compared to open surgical procedures.
He stressed that this landmark achievement reflects the advanced capabilities of vascular surgery at Khoula Hospital, while also underscoring the high level of preparedness and expertise of the anaesthesia and surgical nursing teams, whose contributions were critical to the success of the procedure.
Addressing the broader application of the technique, Dr Al-Aufi explained that abdominal arterial aneurysms are rare and cannot be treated using a single standardised approach. Each case, he said, must be assessed individually, with treatment plans tailored to the patient’s specific clinical condition.
He added that patient safety in such high-risk procedures depends on clear communication between surgeons, anaesthesia and nursing teams, as well as the presence of well-defined alternative plans to manage potential emergencies, all of which are explained to the patient in advance.
