Royal Hospital launches advanced service for chest disease diagnosis, treatment

Muscat: Royal Hospital recently launched a medical thoracoscopy service—an advanced diagnostic and therapeutic procedure that has been applied as part of the hospital’s drive in expanding high-precision services to tackle respiratory diseases.

Dr Yaqoub Salam al Hadhrami, Senior Consultant and Head of the Unit of Respiratory Diseases, Royal Hospital, told Oman News Agency (ONA) that the launch of the new service paves the way for performing this type of procedure at a rate of 2 to 4 cases per week.

He explained that the procedure emerges as an endoscopic service that eliminates the need for surgery, minimizes a patient’s stay at hospital to only a few hours and involves minimal anaesthesia (incision of 2-3 cm), compared to surgical endoscopy which requires a patient to stay several days in hospital under full anaesthesia.

Dr Yaqoub added that the most common cases that benefit from this procedure include the diagnosis of lung or pleural diseases of unknown cause.

He stressed that the introduction of thoracoscopy sets a milestone in the level of services rendered to respiratory system patients in the Sultanate of Oman. The medical technology adds momentum to Royal Hospital’s repertory of advanced specialized services, said Dr. Yaqoub, noting that the procedure enhances the accuracy of diagnosis and provides ideal options for the treatment of various pleural and lung diseases.

Dr Yaqoub pointed out that Royal Hospital is the first government hospital in the Sultanate of Oman to begin offering this advanced procedure (thoracoscopy), which will contribute to the integration of different health institutions and modern medical technologies.

The launch of thoracoscopy is a step forward in enhancing diagnostic and therapeutic capabilities, offering a range of advanced medical options to patients and supporting the efficiency of healthcare.