Dr. Khalid Al-Ruhaimi Hospital removes complex 2.5 kg thyroid tumor

A medical team at Dr. Khalid Al-Ruhaimi Hospital has successfully performed a delicate and complex surgery to remove a massive thyroid enlargement from a 65-year-old patient. The case was classified as highly complex due to the exceptional size of the gland and its deep extension into the chest cavity.

The patient was suffering from advanced thyroid enlargement weighing about 2.5 kilograms, which extended behind the sternum into the chest area. This caused direct pressure on the trachea and neighboring vital structures, leading to increasing breathing difficulties and advanced functional effects that required urgent and precise surgical intervention.

After a thorough evaluation and review of clinical and imaging tests, the medical team decided to proceed with surgery, following a multidisciplinary plan aimed at completely removing the mass while preserving the safety of surrounding organs and vital tissues.

The operation was performed by a team of general surgeons at Dr. Khalid Al-Ruhaimi Hospital under the supervision of the hospital’s General Director of Medical Affairs, Dr. Khalid Al-Ruhaimi.

The team was able to remove the giant thyroid gland entirely in about three hours, despite its large size and extension into the chest, without the need for a thoracic incision or splitting the sternum—an achievement considered a major surgical challenge in such complex cases.

The team also succeeded in preserving the recurrent laryngeal nerves responsible for vocal cord function, and avoided injury to blood vessels or other vital structures surrounding the gland. This helped protect the patient from complications that could affect voice, breathing, or quality of life after surgery.

The hospital stated that the success of the operation reflects the high level of medical and surgical expertise, as well as the ability of its teams to handle rare and complex cases through a combination of human skill, modern medical technology, and precise clinical planning, in line with quality and patient safety standards.

It added that such operations are not merely successful procedures, but demonstrate the importance of medical decisions based on knowledge, experience, and available resources, reaffirming its commitment to providing advanced healthcare that prioritizes patient safety and treatment outcomes.

The hospital emphasized that this achievement highlights the competence and experience of its medical staff, their ability to manage complex cases, and their success in turning clinical challenges into outstanding treatment results, contributing to the advancement of healthcare standards in Saudi Arabia.