KNH restores woman’s nose in historic reconstructive surgery
For eight long years, 51-year-old Dormitila Yula hid her face from the world. What began as a small pimple on her nose in 2017 spiralled into a painful medical journey.
A string of surgeries, infections, and finally, a cancer diagnosis that left her without part of her nose and stripped away her confidence.
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But on September 10, 2025, doctors at Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) gave Dormitila a new lease on life through a groundbreaking six-hour procedure, Kenya’s first-ever zygomatic implant-retained nasal prosthesis surgery.
The historic operation marked a major milestone in reconstructive surgery in the country, restoring not just Dormitila’s face, but her dignity and joy.
Today, Dormitila beams with renewed confidence.
“I can finally face the world,” she said. Her story is a powerful reminder of resilience, innovation, transformation, hope, and proof that at KNH,” the hospital posted on its X account on Tuesday, October 28, 2025.
What it involved
The innovative procedure involved a team of specialists from KNH’s Maxillofacial, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Dental, and Oncology units, working together to craft a custom nasal prosthesis anchored by zygomatic implants, titanium fixtures placed in the cheekbones to support a realistic nasal structure.
Specialists at Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) conducted tests and discovered a growth in her nasal passage.
She underwent reconstructive surgery using skin from her forehead and bone from her rib to rebuild part of her nose.
The procedure offered temporary relief, but a stubborn infection soon developed in her right nostril and eye.
By 2020, the infection had worsened. After further tests, Dormitila was diagnosed with Squamous Cell Carcinoma, a type of skin cancer.
This started a turning point that launched her into years of intense treatment and recovery.
Her care involved two major plastic and vascular surgeries led by doctors Adeline Vilembwa, Benjamin Wabwire, and Loice Kahoro, followed by 33 sessions of radiotherapy and 40 days of hyperbaric oxygen therapy.
It was a grueling process that tested her strength, but it worked. Dormitila was finally declared cancer-free.
However, the surgeries that saved her life left visible scars. For years, she covered her face in public, avoiding eye contact and social interactions.
