• Frank Wehner’s leisure trip to UAE was rudely disrupted when he was rushed to the ICU with a ruptured bowel and unbearable abdominal pain 
• RAK Hospital quickly diagnosed the condition and performed urgent laparoscopic surgery to treat the condition; patient was able to recover in just four days

30th October, 2018, Ras Al Khaimah, UAE:   A happy vacation turned into an ugly life-and-death situation for 48-year-old Frank Wehner, a German tourist who was rushed to RAK Hospital, Ras Al Khaimah, with a ruptured bowel and unbearable abdominal pain. A quick blood and radiological test by the hospital team revealed that the patient had already been suffering from colonic diverticular disease, a condition where small bulges or pockets can develop in the lining of the large intestine and can result in a hole or tear in the large bowel. The patient was also suffering from severe stomach ache, nausea and loss of appetite for more than a day. 

In order to stabilise his condition, doctors at the hospital immediately shifted the patient to ICU, and gave him supportive medication. Later, the same day, he underwent a successful laparoscopic surgery to treat the ruptured bowel. Thanks to prompt diagnosis and timely medical intervention by RAK Hospital’s highly skilled surgical team, the patient was well enough to leave the hospital within just four days and travelled back to his country free of any pain and illness.  

“His condition was critical because a hole or tear in the large bowel means that the intestinal contents –such as bacteria, partially digested food and stool – can spill into one’s abdomen and cause serious infection. This infection is known as Sepsis, and, if not diagnosed and treated at an early stage, is actually life-threatening,” explains Dr Anup Kumar Panigrahi, Specialist and Head of Department, Minimal Access Surgery at RAK Hospital, who operated on the patient.

“Therefore, it is essential that when people suffer from constant abdominal pain, they should not take it lightly and urgently contact a doctor. This one step can save their lives,” stressed Dr Panigrahi, “In this case, even though Wehner was aware of his condition and was being treated for it, he still ended in a life-threatening situation because he neglected the severe pain for a day.”

Symptoms of diverticular disease includes persistent abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting, rectal bleeding, fever, abdominal tenderness, constipation and, in some cases, diarrhoea. Typically, the condition occurs in 10 percent of people over the age of 40 with the incidents increasing with age. As per one report, globally, one in three people can potentially die of infections caused by bowel ruptures. 

Commenting on the timely and successful surgery, Dr Raza Siddqui, CEO of Arabian Healthcare Group and Executive Director of RAK Hospital said: “More deaths occur due to delays in medical intervention than anything else. This is why we take pride in our RAK Hospital surgical team that has time and again proven their skill and competency in handling critical and emergency situations successfully. Moreover, RAK Hospital is equipped with highly sophisticated infrastructure and advanced technology at par with what’s available in the West”.

Thanking RAK Hospital for its timely medical help and care, the patient Wehner appreciated all the help he got at the healthcare institution both by doctors and support staff.