February 3, 2012
Saudi man comes to Erie for facial-spasm surgery
Published: February 03. 2012 12:01AM
By DAVID BRUCE, Erie Times-News
david.bruce@timesnews.com
Eyad Mashat searched worldwide to relieve his facial spasms. The 38-year-old Saudi Arabian traveled to England, France, Switzerland and all over the Middle East to see specialists who might stop the severe twitching on the left side of his face.
"I tried different treatments: medication, meditation, yoga, even kinesiology," Mashat said. "Nothing worked for me."
That is, until he came to Erie.
Mashat, founder and chief executive of the Saudi retail company Fad International, underwent decompression surgery on Tuesday at UPMC Hamot. Now his face is virtually spasm-free.
"Look, nothing," Mashat said, pulling gently on the bottom of his left eyelid. "The spasms have gone back where they came from."
Mashat, who lives in Mecca, discovered Erie after researching Raymond Sekula, M.D., the Hamot neurosurgeon who did his procedure.
It's part of a growing trend for the physician, who is considered one of the world's leading experts in decompression surgery. The surgery involves cushioning facial nerves that are compressed by blood vessels on the outside of the brain.
"I'm seeing more patients from all over the world who find out about me from online support groups," said Sekula, who started at Hamot in March after working at Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh. "These groups are able to find and post surgical outcomes and complication rates online."
Mashat first learned about Sekula from an international facial-spasms support group on Facebook. Then he searched for the neurosurgeon on Google.
Sekula's 94 percent success rate for more than 250 patients with hemifacial spasms, and the glowing recommendations his patients posted online, were enough to persuade Mashat to give Hamot a call.
Though he lives more than 6,600 miles from Erie, Mashat consulted with Sekula in October via a Skype video conference. Mashat also sent his medical records to Hamot.
"His case was something we could treat here," Sekula said.
The surgery was scheduled for Tuesday, and Mashat made travel arrangements. He flew with his brother, Ehab Mashat, from Jaddah, Saudi Arabia, to Frankfurt, Germany, on Saturday. They then took a plane to New York and Detroit before finally reaching Erie the next day.
"My brother asked me if I was sure the surgery was in Erie, and not Boston or New York," Mashat said.
"I was amazed it was here," Ehab Mashat said.
Tuesday's surgery lasted only two and a half hours, and the results were almost immediate.
“The spasms were 95 percent better right away," Ehab Mashat said. "Also, his confidence really increased. He was always asked what was wrong with his face, and how can he fix it. Now the problem is gone."
Hamot discharged Eyad Mashat on Thursday, though he was expected to see Sekula for a follow-up visit today. Another follow-up visit will be done via Skype in a few weeks, Sekula said.
As he prepared to leave Hamot on Thursday morning, the man who owns two retail-store chains was asked how he was going to spend the rest of his day.
"Shopping," Mashat said with a smile.
