Xu Wei (L), a Chinese oral and maxillofacial surgery specialist, checks a patient's post-operative recovery in Zanzibar, Tanzania, on Dec. 17, 2025. (The 35th Chinese medical team in Zanzibar/Handout via Xinhua)
ZANZIBAR, Tanzania, Jan. 26 (Xinhua) -- On a bright day in mid-December 2025, 16-year-old Seif Amour Rajab entered the operating theater at Lumumba Hospital on Zanzibar's Unguja Island, Tanzania.
Inside, members of the 35th Chinese medical team in Zanzibar worked in seamless coordination, their actions precise and deliberate, as they carried out a complex surgery on the teenager who had lived for years with his jaws locked shut.
Four hours later, they not only restored Seif's ability to open his mouth but also cleared the heavy shadow that had long clouded his life.
Seif's ordeal began three years earlier when he fell from a mango tree while picking fruit on Pemba Island. The accident fractured his lower jaw, but limited medical resources meant the injury went untreated.
Over time, his condition worsened until he could barely open his mouth. Eating became a daily struggle, speaking required immense effort, and malnutrition drained his vitality. Once a lively teenager, Seif grew withdrawn, burdened by feelings of inferiority and depression.
His guardian, Abdul Nasri Abeid Mohamed, a 29-year-old businessman from Mkoani District, recalled the ordeal vividly. "Unfortunately, his jaw was broken, and since then, he could not speak properly," Mohamed said.
Local hospitals were unable to offer effective treatment. Eventually, Seif was referred from Abdulla Mzee Hospital on Pemba Island to Lumumba Hospital on Unguja Island, where Chinese doctors offered a long-awaited ray of hope.
At Lumumba Hospital's Department of Stomatology, Xu Wei, an oral and maxillofacial surgery specialist, conducted a detailed examination. The boy's mouth opening measured only 0.5 centimeters, and a cyst measuring three centimeters in diameter was lodged in his left maxilla. While temporomandibular joint arthroplasty alone is considered highly complex, combining it with cyst removal demands extraordinary precision and coordination.
Xu immediately convened a multidisciplinary consultation. Imaging specialist Yuan Gang carefully reviewed CT scans, identifying the extent of bony hyperplasia and pinpointing the cyst's location. Xu explained the technical challenges and analyzed the feasibility of performing both procedures in a single session.
Meanwhile, anesthesiologist Luan Hengfei and respiratory and critical care specialist Li Qin faced the most daunting obstacle: Seif's inability to open his mouth made conventional intubation impossible.
After repeated discussions, the team agreed on a demanding but viable plan -- fiberoptic bronchoscopy-assisted intubation, followed by both surgical procedures in one session.
On the day of surgery, the operating room was filled with quiet concentration. Li Qin carefully advanced the slender fiberoptic bronchoscope into Seif's airway, while Luan Hengfei completed the endotracheal intubation with steady hands, securing a safe "lifeline" for the operation.
Xu then made a concealed incision from the preauricular area to the temporal scalp to minimize scarring, removed the hyperplastic bone, reconstructed the temporomandibular joint, and then proceeded to excise the maxillary cyst. By the time the final suture was placed, more than four hours had passed.
The operation was a triumph of teamwork. Each department, from imaging, anesthesia, respiratory care, to surgery, worked in close harmony, building a solid defense for Seif's life and health.
"What we bring is not only advanced medical technology, but also the collective strength of Chinese doctors standing together," said Bao Zengtao, team leader of the 35th Chinese medical team in Zanzibar. "This strength is the firmest foundation for protecting life."
Seif's recovery was carefully monitored. Xu conducted daily ward rounds, guiding his diet and mouth-opening exercises. Days later, the boy opened his mouth with ease and softly whispered, "Thank you."
Tears of joy welled in his eyes as a smile spread across his face -- the most heartfelt reward for the medical team. "I can finally eat and speak like a normal person. Thank you, Chinese doctors!" he said, his words filled with the joy of a new life.
Mohamed expressed deep gratitude. "After the surgery, the boy speaks very comfortably. He is talented in playing football, which he now enjoys again," Mohamed said.
More than a medical achievement, the surgery was a vivid reflection of the Chinese medical team's spirit of unity, professionalism, and compassion. From precise imaging diagnosis to collective problem-solving in surgical planning, from seamless coordination in the operating room to attentive post-operative care, the team demonstrated the power of collaboration across disciplines.
Their work also embodies the mission of Chinese medical teams abroad: to deliver warmth and hope across mountains and seas, to restore health and dignity to patients, and to strengthen bonds of friendship between nations.
Today, Seif's recovery continues steadily. His mouth opening has returned to normal, and his smile grows brighter each day. Once trapped in silence and isolation, he is now embracing life with renewed confidence and joy -- free to speak, eat, and play football again. ■