A 38-year-old Nigerian patient, Michael Ojabo, has successfully undergone a complex skull base surgery in Oman to remove a rare tumor that had spread from his nasal cavity into the brain and eye socket. The tumor, identified as an inverted papilloma, is a benign but aggressive growth that affects fewer than 1.5 people per 100,000 annually and rarely extends into the cranial cavity or orbit.
Ojabo had experienced symptoms since 2018, including nasal obstruction, facial pressure, eye bulging, and severe pain, which progressively worsened over time. Multiple hospitals in Nigeria and the region had declined to treat him due to the tumor’s critical location and high surgical risk.
The surgery, which lasted 11 hours, involved a multidisciplinary team of specialists in ENT, neurosurgery, oculoplastic surgery, and anesthesia. The team used a combination of endoscopic and open surgical approaches, beginning with a craniotomy to access the portion of the tumor that had invaded the brain. Careful removal of the tumor from the nasal cavity and orbit followed, using image-guided navigation, real-time monitoring, and microscopic tools to minimize risk to the patient’s vision and neurological function.
Dr. Khalil Ibrahim Macki, the lead ENT surgeon at the Aster Royal Al Raffah Hospital, said, “The tumor’s extension into both the cranial cavity and orbit made this case particularly complex. The success of the surgery relied on precise coordination among multiple specialties and the careful use of advanced surgical techniques to protect critical structures.”
A statement by the hospital said, Ojabo was extubated on the same day of the surgery and discharged five days later. Follow-up imaging confirmed complete tumor removal with no damage to his brain or vision. His facial appearance and function have returned to normal, and he has resumed regular daily activities.
Inverted papillomas are uncommon, and cases involving extension into both the brain and orbit are exceptionally rare worldwide. Ojabo’s case demonstrates the potential for advanced multidisciplinary surgical techniques to successfully manage high-risk, complex skull base tumors.
