Razan Ankour, 26, from the Gorbals in Glasgow, was left with a scar ‘like a knife wound’ on her neck after surgery to treat an infection caused by a wisdom tooth extraction
A woman says her life has “completely changed” after developing a severe infection following a dental procedure.
Razan Ankour, 26, from the Gorbals in Glasgow, was rushed to the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital after a procedure to remove a wisdom tooth left her “in unbearable pain”. Doctors discovered she had developed a severe infection and performed emergency surgery to drain fluid that had caused swelling around her jaw and neck.
The surgery left her with a visible scar on her neck, which she describes as “like a knife wound”. She now hopes to undergo reconstructive and laser treatment to reduce its appearance.
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Razan said she was referred to The Albion Clinic in Glasgow city centre by her GP after intense jaw pain meant she was unable to eat or close her mouth. She said she was told a wisdom tooth was growing in the wrong direction and needed to be “broken apart and removed”. Soon after the procedure, she said her face and neck swelled up.
Speaking to Glasgow Live, Razan said: “By the third day, my entire jaw had locked – I couldn’t open my mouth, my face and neck were swollen to the point that I looked unrecognisable.”
She was taken to hospital by ambulance, where doctors told her she had developed a “severe “infection. Surgeons made an incision under her jaw and inserted a tube to drain the fluid.
Razan said: “For more than four months, I couldn’t eat or open my mouth normally. My tongue felt heavy and stiff. I suffered tremendously until things slowly improved. Because of the heavy antibiotics, I completely lost my sense of smell. One day, there was a fire in my kitchen, and I didn’t even notice until my neighbours told me. I was supposed to receive follow-up care and laser treatment to help heal the surgical area, but that never happened.
“The scar still looks terrible – like a knife wound. I kept visiting emergency services and the dental clinic but no one did anything meaningful. Now, I still feel pain at times and can’t lift my head comfortably. My self-esteem and mental health has been deeply affected. I can’t even sit comfortably with friends because I feel the need to hide the area – people don’t believe this happened from a surgery.”
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde said a review into her care at the QEUH found that Razan was treated appropriately and to a proper standard.
A spokesperson for the health board said: “For reasons of patient confidentiality, we cannot comment on individual cases, but we would like to apologise Razan Ankour for any distress they have experienced. If they have any concerns about any aspect of their care, we would encourage them to contact the service for support.”
Razan has not made a formal complaint to the dental practice but has been advised to do so if she wishes. She has set up a fundraiser to help pay for treatment to repair the scar.
The Albion Clinic has been approached for comment.