Mr Rafid Al-Mahfoudh

Written by a patient at Nuffield Hospital Brighton

It has been a joy to be in Rafid A;-Mahfoudh's care. He is clearly a brilliant surgeon but, in addition, caring, kind, interesting and informative. Any spinal operation - the removal of a disc (C6) and a bridging of C5 and C7 with a metal plate in my case - is unnerving, intimidating and calls for medical reassurance. I felt in safe hands from the moment I met Rafid until my final 'discharge'. My recovery has been excellent and the monitoring of it exemplary. I cannot recommend Rafid highly enough.

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Written by a patient at Nuffield Hospital Brighton

After over 2 years of repeat hospital admissions with suspected cauda equina, continuous pain, the inability to walk without using crutches and NHS limited support; I discovered Mr Al-Mahfoudh! I was referred to him through my medical insurance provider and has an appointment within a couple of weeks. He listened to my issues and immediately sent me for xrays. I had many scans and tests with the NHS but not to much avail. Mr Al-Mahfoudh wanted to get xrays of me standing as well as laying down as this was when the pain was at its worst... something the NHS hadn't listened to. This standing xray showed the real depth of my issue with my spine and the spondylolisthesis slippage. From there he was able to suggest a spinal fusion procedure which would correct the spine and remove my ever-growing pain! I was booked in for the operation within 4 weeks and the surgery was a great success. After recovery, I am now 6 months post op and I can honestly say this operation has changed my life for the better. I went from hardly being able to walk to now being about to play with toys on the floor with my children. Some pain still remains when I overdo activities but nothing that I wouldn't have expected. Now I am able, I am working on getting my body back in shape and having the strength to be healthy and fit with my new strong back! :) Thank you Mr Al-Mahfoudh for giving me my life back!

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Written by a patient at Nuffield Hospital Brighton

I'm in my 70s and have suffered with severe sciatica and lumbar pain for over 25 years. Various painkillers, NSAIDs, injections, acupuncture, chiropractic treatment and pain management had not alleviated the problem. It was a revelation, therefore, to finally meet Mr Al Mahfoudh who understood and operated. Now, two weeks post micro surgery (I was really surprised at how small the incision was), I finally feel that I have my life back. I didn't even need the painkillers given on discharge (only two days in hospital). Can't recommend Mr Al Mahfoudh highly enough.

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Written by a patient at Royal Sussex County Hospital

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.

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Written by a carer at Nuffield Hospital Brighton

I would like to take this opportunity in expressing my utmost gratitude for Dr Rafid Al-Mahfoudh for providing excellent in fact world class service to my father (Abdul Mohammed) who could barely stood upright last year this time. Series of unsuccessful surgical operations in overseas left my father in excruciating pain and made him crawl to navigate his way around. The intensity of pain was visibly overwhelming and during this ordeal my father lost over 12 kilograms of body weight and looked to have given up on life altogether. As a family we were left in a disarray and I can never forget the moment when Dr Rafid talked us through our father's condition and reassured us that "Abdul will be able to stand up and walk again". To conclude, as a man of faith, we have always been told to cling to a hope and be optimistic - this theoretical theological concept came to a vivid reality through Dr Rafid. We are forever indebted to your professional services.

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