Saturday 29 / November / 2025
Muscat: An Omani medical team at the Royal Hospital successfully removed a virulent cancerous tumour from the liver of a three-year-old child, in a complex operation that lasted six hours.
The child had been diagnosed with a large tumour of the musculoskeletal cancer type, which is one of the most aggressive and rapidly spreading types of malignant tumours in children.
It originates in muscle tissue and is characterised by its ability to spread to neighbouring organs and move to other parts of the body.
The tumour affected about 80 percent of the liver, extending to the abdominal wall and internal organs, including the colon.
Al-Warith bin Ahmed Al-Hashimi, Consultant of Liver and Pancreas Surgery and Transplantation and Head of the Organ Transplantation Department at the Royal Hospital, told the Oman News Agency that preserving the vital functions of the liver and other organs was a priority in the complex surgical procedure to remove the liver tumour, as preserving a small part of healthy liver tissue was the biggest challenge they faced in preparing for the operation.
He added that the treatment plan began with pre-chemotherapy to reduce the size of the tumour, which occupied about 80 percent of the liver, thus allowing a small part of the liver to remain able to regain its functions after the operation.
He stated that during the surgery, he relied on meticulous planning using advanced imaging to identify the vital blood vessels that feed the remaining healthy part, in addition to careful monitoring of blood flow and body functions, in cooperation with the anesthesia team specialising in liver surgery.
He reported that modern techniques were used in the liver tissue resection procedure to reduce bleeding and protect the bile ducts, to ensure that the remaining part of the liver would be able to gradually regain its vital functions after surgery.
Regarding the prevalence of this type of tumour in the younger age group, he explained that it is very rare in children, and often appears suddenly without prior signs or symptoms. There are no clear risk factors or specific genetic causes associated with this type of tumor, which necessitates surgical intervention and accurate diagnosis.
He touched on the latest surgical protocols used in the operation, which include prior chemotherapy to shrink the tumour, as well as precise surgical planning using advanced radiation to determine the relationship between the tumour and major blood vessels. Modern techniques were also applied to cut liver tissue, which contributed to reducing bleeding and protecting the remaining healthy tissue, and precise protocols were followed for managing blood and coagulation during the operation.
He affirmed that this achievement enhances the Royal Hospital’s position as one of the leading centres in treating liver tumours in children, especially complex and rare ones, as the success of the operation demonstrated the hospital’s ability to deal with cases in which the tumor occupies most of the liver.
He pointed out that the Royal Hospital has the advanced infrastructure that supports the performance of such complex operations, as well as an integrated treatment system that combines chemotherapy and surgery, with close follow-up of patients after the operation.
The Consultant of Liver and Pancreas Surgery and Transplantation and Head of the Organ Transplantation Department at the Royal Hospital, confirmed that this achievement reflects the hospital’s ability to provide advanced medical care within the Sultanate of Oman, which reduces the need to transfer patients abroad and enhances its position as a leading destination for the treatment of complex liver tumours according to the highest international standards.
The medical team explained that the condition was initially inoperable due to the size of the tumour and its entanglement with vital organs. However, a precise treatment plan was developed that included giving the child doses of chemotherapy to reduce the size of the tumour, which later enabled the team to perform surgical intervention to remove it.
During the operation, the affected part of the liver, the right side of the colon, and the affected part of the abdominal wall were removed, with the application of the latest surgical and therapeutic protocols followed in such complex cases.
The surgical team explained that the biggest challenge was preserving the vital functions of the organs during the removal of the huge tumour that threatened the child's life, stressing that the operation was a complete success, and that the child has gradually recovered and is now in good health and under close medical supervision to complete the stages of treatment according to international protocols.
This success is a medical achievement that highlights the efficiency of the national staff at the Royal Hospital and their ability to deal with the rarest and most complex cases with an efficiency that rivals advanced international centres.
