An Emirati man, 64, had his only kidney removed and then transplanted back into his body in a rare 11-hour procedure.
Born with one kidney, retiree Ali Al Shamsi was told last year that this kidney had a tumour and that surgery was essential for his survival.
A regular kidney transplant was not an option for the father of one from Al Ain, who would have had to wait around three years and receive strong medication before eventually being eligible.
Dr Hassen and the team truly saved my life and I owe them the world for that
Instead, a team of doctors at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi decided to perform what is known as a renal bench reconstruction, which first involved the removal of Mr Al Shamsi's kidney.
Once outside the body, the kidney was placed in a slush solution – an iced saline mixture of solids and liquid – to keep it cool, while a surgical oncologist and microsurgeon worked together to carefully dissect and remove the tumour.
When the tumour was removed, the kidney was placed back into the body.
The surgery was performed by oncologist Dr Waleed Hassen, Department Chair of Urology at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi.
After surgery, it was expected that Mr Al Shamsi would be on dialysis for at least two years, but three weeks later his kidney began functioning normally again.
"Before the operation, I was very scared. I cried on my way to the operating room," Mr Al Shamsi told The National.
"I had never heard of such an operation where they take out your kidney and then put it back. Dr Hassen and the team truly saved my life and I owe them the world for that."
Dr Bashir Sankari, chair of the Surgical Subspecialties Institute at Cleveland Clinic and a transplant surgeon who took part in the procedure, said Mr Al Shamsi will not need dialysis, a transplant or immunosuppressants and can live his life normally, free of cancer.
"When doctors told me my kidney had recovered enough and I could stop dialysis, I was flying," Mr Al Shamsi said.
"It was the best news I'd ever heard. I feel amazing now. I was even able to fast this Ramadan because I felt so strong."
Mr Al Shamsi was diagnosed last June after going to Cleveland Clinic complaining of chest pains.
"I never imagined that I would go to the hospital over chest pains and then discover that I have one kidney and that one kidney would have a tumour," he said.
Within a few days, he had decided to have the complex surgery in the UAE.
"I had the option of doing it in the United States but anything that could be done in the United States could be done here."
"And if I died, I wanted to die in my country surrounded by my family and friends," Mr Al Shamsi said.
"This is a rare and complex procedure, with only a handful performed," Dr Hassan said.
"Patients will always do better with their own kidneys rather than have a transplant. It is always better to try to save the kidney."
He said if Mr Al Shamsi had received a kidney transplant, he would have needed years of regular dialysis before an eventual donor transplant, all of which carries its own set of risks.
"We determined that the best course of action for Ali was a complex surgery to remove his kidney, dissect the tumour, reconstruct the kidney and transplant it back into him," Dr Hassan said.
“Having the kidney outside the body means we have much better access. Leaving it in place in the body would not only mean operating on it in a tight space but also a high risk of causing significant bleeding."
Dr Kashif Siddiqi, a urologist who specialises in microsurgery at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, said with more time and space they were able to reach the tumour without causing too much damage to healthy tissue.
“This was a very complex operation that really required a high level of skill and co-ordination across our team with extensive experience in both transplant and surgical oncology," said Dr Siddiqi.
"There are not many places in the world that can perform this surgery.
"From Ali’s perspective, this approach means we are able to save his kidney, which is a huge benefit."
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
Silent Hill f
Publisher: Konami
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC
Rating: 4.5/5
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The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
Company profile
Date started: January, 2014
Founders: Mike Dawson, Varuna Singh, and Benita Rowe
Based: Dubai
Sector: Education technology
Size: Five employees
Investment: $100,000 from the ExpoLive Innovation Grant programme in 2018 and an initial $30,000 pre-seed investment from the Turn8 Accelerator in 2014. Most of the projects are government funded.
Partners/incubators: Turn8 Accelerator; In5 Innovation Centre; Expo Live Innovation Impact Grant Programme; Dubai Future Accelerators; FHI 360; VSO and Consult and Coach for a Cause (C3)
Fifa%20World%20Cup%20Qatar%202022%20
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EFirst%20match%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENovember%2020%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFinal%2016%20round%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDecember%203%20to%206%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EQuarter-finals%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDecember%209%20and%2010%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESemi-finals%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDecember%2013%20and%2014%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFinal%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDecember%2018%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The Vile
Starring: Bdoor Mohammad, Jasem Alkharraz, Iman Tarik, Sarah Taibah
Director: Majid Al Ansari
Rating: 4/5
Sonchiriya
Director: Abhishek Chaubey
Producer: RSVP Movies, Azure Entertainment
Cast: Sushant Singh Rajput, Manoj Bajpayee, Ashutosh Rana, Bhumi Pednekar, Ranvir Shorey
Rating: 3/5
Results
5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 1,200m, Winner: ES Rubban, Antonio Fresu (jockey), Ibrahim Aseel (trainer)
5.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh85,000 (T) 1,200m, Winner: Al Mobher, Sczcepan Mazur, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami
6pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 2,200m, Winner: Jabalini, Tadhg O’Shea, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami
6.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 2,200m, Winner: AF Abahe, Tadgh O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
7pm: Handicap (PA) Dh85,000 (T) 1,600m, Winner: AF Makerah, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
7.30pm: Maiden (TB) Dh80,000 (T) 1,600m, Winner: Law Of Peace, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar
TICKETS
For tickets for the two-day Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) event, entitled Dubai Invasion 2019, on September 27 and 28 go to www.meraticket.com.
The%20Hunger%20Games%3A%20The%20Ballad%20of%20Songbirds%20%26%20Snakes
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%C2%A0Francis%20Lawrence%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%C2%A0%3C%2Fstrong%3ERachel%20Zegler%2C%20Peter%20Dinklage%2C%20Viola%20Davis%2C%20Tom%20Blyth%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E3%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
General%20Classification
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MATCH INFO
Cricket World Cup League Two
Oman, UAE, Namibia
Al Amerat, Muscat
Results
Oman beat UAE by five wickets
UAE beat Namibia by eight runs
Namibia beat Oman by 52 runs
UAE beat Namibia by eight wickets
UAE v Oman - abandoned
Oman v Namibia - abandoned
Dubai Women's Tour teams
Agolico BMC
Andy Schleck Cycles-Immo Losch
Aromitalia Basso Bikes Vaiano
Cogeas Mettler Look
Doltcini-Van Eyck Sport
Hitec Products – Birk Sport
Kazakhstan National Team
Kuwait Cycling Team
Macogep Tornatech Girondins de Bordeaux
Minsk Cycling Club
Pannonia Regional Team (Fehérvár)
Team Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Team Ciclotel
UAE Women’s Team
Under 23 Kazakhstan Team
Wheel Divas Cycling Team
Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
French business
France has organised a delegation of leading businesses to travel to Syria. The group was led by French shipping giant CMA CGM, which struck a 30-year contract in May with the Syrian government to develop and run Latakia port. Also present were water and waste management company Suez, defence multinational Thales, and Ellipse Group, which is currently looking into rehabilitating Syrian hospitals.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
