The Maxillofacial Surgery and Otorhinolaryngology team of the Zenica Cantonal Hospital started performing very complex operations on oncology patients with head, face and neck cancers, which is one of the major successes of this institution after more than 25 years.
A little more than 25 years ago, operations of this type were last performed at the Zenica Cantonal Hospital, and after the departure of Maxillofacial Surgery specialist and head and neck reconstructive surgery subspecialist Tarik Masic to Sarajevo University Clinical Center (KCUS), these operations were performed at clinical centers in Sarajevo or outside the country.
Thanks to the dedication of Maxillofacial Surgery specialist surgeon Nedim Leto, operations are being performed again, giving patients closer and faster service and hope for a “new” life.
Nedim Leto is the head of the multidisciplinary team, and he said that these operations are performed on severe oncology patients with advanced cancers of the head, face and neck.
He added that patients receive quality treatment in this institution and that apart from tumor removal, defect reconstruction is also very important, which is done with local or distant flaps (deltopectoral, pectoral, temporal muscle) and free bone grafts from the iliac crest and rib.
Head of the Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Maxillofacial Surgery prim. Ph.D. In a statement, Djenad Hodzic said that these operations were performed in tertiary healthcare institutions until now, but that their return to the Zenica Cantonal Hospital made it easier for the patients.
“In the past period, these operations were mostly performed in Sarajevo. Patients undergo surgery and then come to us for care. Now we do these operations and now they have a complete service here. We will no longer send a large part of these patients anywhere. We had already enough of those operations, the patients took it well, and with timely therapy and the remaining part of the treatments and oncological treatment, everything ended well,” said Hodzic.
He added that the service at the Zenica hospital is quite advanced, that they have their own radiotherapy, and that the treatment system for these patients is already established.
Director of the Zenica Cantonal Hospital, Tarik Zulovic, told that the Zenica Cantonal Hospital with its expert specialists is committed to the development and introduction of new treatment methods.
“New methods and technologies in the treatment of our patients is the goal of our institution, as well as becoming a university hospital, which should soon be completed The work and effort of the specialists will certainly be recognized, and the hospital will invest the necessary funds and equipment in order to make operative interventions as good and easier as possible,” Zulovic concluded.
