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A Glasgow woman who developed an infection after a "traumatic" dental procedure says her life has "completely changed". Razan Ankour was rushed to the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital after a procedure she says left her unrecognisable and in "unbearable pain". She underwent surgery to drain the fluid which caused swelling and pain around her jaw, after the site had become infected. Razan, from the Gorbals, has been left with a scar she describes as looking “like a knife wound” and is now hoping to undergo laser treatment to reduce the visibility of the scar. The 26-year-old was referred to The Albion Clinic in Glasgow city centre by her GP after intense jaw pain left her unable to eat or close her mouth. She says that she was told a wisdom tooth was growing in the wrong direction and it would need to be "broken apart and removed." After the procedure, Razan says her face and neck swelled up. She told GlasgowLive: “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.” Razan was taken to hospital by ambulance and says she was told that she had developed a “severe” infection and underwent surgery to drain the fluid causing swelling and pain around her jaw. An incision was made on her neck and a tube inserted to remove the fluid. She added: "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 neighbors 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 told GlasgowLive that, following a review into her care at the QEUH, Razan was treated appropriately and with an appropriate standard of care by medical staff. A spokesperson 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 an official complaint to the dental practice and has been advised to do so, should she wish to, in the first instance. She has set up a fundraiser to help fund treatments to reduce the appearance of the scar. More details can be found here. We have approached The Albion Clinic for comment. Join Glasgow Live's WhatsApp community here and get the latest news sent straight to your messages. Sign up to our daily Glasgow Live newsletter here to receive news and features direct to your inbox.
