Successful High-Risk Complex Revision Spine Surgery at Dr. Sulaiman Al Habib Hospital, Dubai
On January 14, 2026, under the leadership of Dr. Basil Al Sharef (Senior Consultant Spine Surgeon, German and Swiss Board–Certified), Head of the Center of Excellence for Complex Spine Surgery at Dr. Sulaiman Al Habib Hospital, Dubai, a multidisciplinary surgical team successfully performed an exceptionally complex, high-risk revision spine surgery on a 46-year-old female patient.
The patient had undergone corrective surgery 14 months earlier at another institution for post-traumatic thoracolumbar kyphosis. Following the initial procedure, she developed multiple severe complications, including treatment-resistant dorsolumbar pain, chylothorax, recurrent syncopal episodes, and neurological deficits affecting both lower extremities. Persistent hyperkyphosis was also noted.
Advanced imaging revealed significant compression of the thoracic aorta by an implanted spinal cage, placing the patient at a critically high risk of aortic rupture, estimated at up to 30%, even without surgical intervention. In addition, malpositioned pedicle screws were identified as the cause of the patient’s persistent pain and bilateral lower-limb weakness.
After several weeks of meticulous multidisciplinary preoperative planning, Dr. Al Sharef and his team successfully completed the first stage of this high-risk revision surgery without complications.
During surgery, via re-thoracotomy, Dr. Al Sharef removed the cage compressing the aorta, performed a T12 corpectomy, and reconstructed the anterior spinal alignment using a vertebral body replacement (artificial vertebra) and an anterior plate.
Preoperative risk assessment had estimated a 30% risk of aortic rupture and a 15% risk of paraplegia due to potential spinal cord ischemia.
One week later, during a second carefully planned posterior procedure, the malpositioned pedicle screws were replaced and the pre-existing hyperkyphosis was corrected, resulting in complete resolution of the patient’s pain and neurological deficits.
Following the successful completion of both surgical stages, the patient was discharged in stable condition. She is now fully mobile and free of her preoperative symptoms.
The Center of Excellence for Complex Spine Surgery, led by Dr. Al Sharef, specializes in advanced complex and revision spine surgeries involving the entire spine, treating both adult and pediatric patients.
