Mr Rafid Al-Mahfoudh 2020-06-10 Person 5 5 0

Following an MRI scan in January 2020 I was diagnosed with an Benign Spinal Cord Tumor. Due to increasing loss of feeling below the waist I was admitted to The Royal Sussex County Hospital following a visit to A&E. This was when I was introduced to the Neurosurgeon and Complex Spine Surgeon Mr Rafid Al-Mahfoudh, who attended the hospital on a Sunday to look at my case. Mr Al-Mahfoudh discussed the case with me and outlined that due to the location of the tumor it would be better to not perform the surgery as an emergency and for the operation to be planned. I felt reassured by Mr Al-Mahfoudh and confident that he was the right person to be performing this surgery. I was discharged from hospital and put on Mr Al-Mahfoudh outpatient list. My symptoms however worsened and I experienced a lot of numbness below the waist, difficulty in walking and keeping my balance I was readmitted to A&E at the Royal Sussex County Hospital and on this occasion the surgery went ahead on 11 February 2020. I was placed in the capable hands of Mr Al-Mahfoudh and his team. The surgery was longer and more complex than anticipated because the tumor had calcified, due to the skill and expertise of Mr Al-Mahfoudh and his team the tumor was removed in its entirety. MR Al- Mahfoudh was able to perform the surgery using specialist equipment (SSEP and MEP) to monitor the nervous system. The surgery was a success and my post operative care was superb and I cannot thank the team enough. I am 4 months post op and I have regained feeling in most areas that had become numb, I did not think I would ever feel my feet again but have regained the majority of feeling back. Additionally the urge incontinence I experienced pre-surgery has been resolved which had restored my sense of dignity. I am able to walk and cycle which is a gift, one that I would not have received if it had not been for the expertise and skill of Mr Al-Mahfoudh. I still have a long way to go and hope that under the supervision of Mr Al-Mahfoudh I will continue to improve over the next couple of years. I cannot thank Mr Al-Mahfoudh enough for his compassion, care and expertise, this was a difficult time knowing that I could be paralysed if I did not have the operation. If I was ever to have any complications or new conditions relating to the spine or brain in the future (fingers crossed I won't need to) I would not hesitate to seek out Mr Al-Mahfoudh. Thank you once again Mr Al-Mahfoudh I could not have been in safer hands.