Medcare surgeon diagnoses and treats child MRSA patient

Dubai: Today, Medcare, the premium healthcare division of Aster DM Healthcare, announced that world-class Oral Maxillofacial surgeon, Professor Jehad al Sukhun had successfully performed surgery on a 4-year old patient suffering with a large swelling on the right side of their neck, complicated by contracting MRSA while being treated abroad.

The patient had endured recurrent swelling on their neck over the period of several years and had repeatedly been prescribed courses of antibiotics to treat the condition while under the care of different doctors in the USA and UK.

Following blood tests and an MRI scan, Professor Jehad al Sukhun and his team at Medcare diagnosed the child with MRSA in addition to a chronic infection. The child was successfully operated on under a general anesthetic to remove the chronic inflammatory tissue and right submandibular gland, preserving the vital neck structures, i.e. nerves, muscles and vessels.

Highlighting the risks of MRSA, Professor Jehad al Sukhun said: “This is a bacterial strain that is resistant to some widely-used antibiotics. It is likely that the patient contracted MRSA during frequent trips to different medical clinics.”

“This rare case was significant as the child’s body had developed a resistance to antibiotics and the swelling had been left untreated until an in-depth investigation and accurate diagnosis of the route issue at Medcare. Fortunately, the patient has recovered well” he added.

Most people carry the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus, and when infectious it can be treated easily with antibiotics. It is only when it becomes resistant to antibiotics such as penicillin and methicillin that it is classified as MRSA. Symptoms vary with most cases causing mild infections on the skin, but it can also cause more serious infections. While resistant to some common antibiotics, MRSA can be treated with different types and in severe cases, by intravenous antibiotics.