Shireena Al Nowais | The National News Filed on 2022-03-14

Medics in Abu Dhabi removed 50 stones from the bladder of a 75-year-old man from Yemen.

Mohammed Sulaiman Abdullah had been in excruciating pain for more than a year.

The father of 12 children — and a grandfather and great-grandfather of 60 — was unable to pass urine and for more than year required a catheter.

Because of limited medical facilities in Yemen, he was unable to receive treatment and his condition worsened. Only after his son brought him to Abu Dhabi in December did he receive the correct diagnosis and treatment.

Doctors at Burjeel Hospital found that Mr Abdullah had an enlarged prostate that obstructed the flow of urine which in turn caused the stones.

Bladder stones are hard masses of minerals in the bladder. They develop when the minerals in concentrated urine crystallise and form stones.

The largest stone in Mr Abdullah's bladder measured 3.5 centimetres.

“The maximum number is usually three or four — never anything even close to 50,” the hospital said.

It took doctors an hour to remove all the stones.

“I never thought that the minor pain would progress to become this complicated condition,” said Mr Abdullah.

“I neglected the pain believing that it was due to old age.”

Dr Manaf Al Hashimi, the consulting urologist, said that Mr Abdullah had long-standing obstructive urinary symptoms because of the enlarged prostate.

“Unfortunately, he did not seek any medical advice or treatment in his home country, Yemen, until the enlarged prostate had blocked the urine passage and resulted in incomplete emptying of urine,” he said.

“By the time he reached Burjeel Hospital seeking help, it had become worse as the catheter was left in for more than two months. Surgery was the only possible option.”

Mr Abdullah has since returned to Yemen.

“Mohammed responded well to the treatment. His recovery was fast, and he was discharged in four days post the surgery,” Dr Al Hashimi said.

“People have to undergo regular check-ups of the prostate to avoid complications such as bladder stones.”

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A private hospital in Abu Dhabi will join Phase 3 global clinical trials of a novel first-in-class thalassemia treatment.

Thalassemia is an inherited blood disorder which affects the body’s ability to produce haemoglobin and red blood cells. It is among the most common genetic diseases worldwide and highly prevalent in the region.

Abu Dhabi’s Burjeel Medical City is preparing to begin two Phase 3 clinical trials of a new, first-in-class enzyme-activating drug: Mitapivat (AG-348). The new drug directly affects the survival of red blood cells and has already demonstrated potential in earlier trials for transforming the treatment of thalassemia by improving the hallmark of the disease – chronic haemolytic anaemia.

“The Phase 3 programme will be done in partnership with several health centres in the US and Europe,” Dr Khaled Musallam, group chief research officer at VPS Healthcare and principal investigator on the trials, told Khaleej Times.

He noted the Phase 3 programme would evaluate Mitapivat in two types of thalassemia with relatively different clinical needs.

“One trial will be conducted in transfusion-independent patients with the aim of increasing haemoglobin level and improving quality of life, and the other trial will be conducted on transfusion-dependent patients with the aim of decreasing transfusion requirement and thus decreasing the burden of the disease on the patient and healthcare system. Advances in the management of thalassemia would have significant benefits for the public health sector overall, as well as for patients and their families.”

The global trials will involve more than 400 volunteers: 240 transfusion-dependent and 171 non-transfusion-dependent thalassemia adult patients.

“In the UAE, we will rely on standard recruitment channels through our large healthcare network and referrals from colleagues taking care of thalassemia patients.”

The two trials, Dr Musallam added, will have 24- and 48-months core treatment periods, respectively, and extend up to five years.

John Sunil, CEO of Burjeel Hospitals in Abu Dhabi, underlined: “We are always ready to bring on cutting-edge technologies and attract talented physicians and scientists to our medical facilities to offer state of the art treatment options for patients. This becomes more imperative for rare diseases, which are often left with poor access to optimal management and chronic holistic care.”

Meanwhile, last month the hospital and HH Sheikh Sultan Bin Khalifa Al Nahyan Humanitarian and Scientific Foundation entered a collaboration to advance the care for thalassemia patients.

‘UAE, Cyprus share a mutual will to help affected people’

Yannis Michaelides, Ambassador of Cyprus to the UAE, noted a strong bilateral collaboration on thalassemia treatment between the two countries.

“The fruitful collaboration between the Republic of Cyprus and the UAE in combating thalassemia syndromes dates back to the very establishment of the Emirates Thalassemia Society and continues to this day on a high note with the active support of the leadership of our two countries,” the ambassador told Khaleej Times.

Michaelides pointed out that both the UAE and Cyprus have gone the extra mile to help other affected countries too.

“Cyprus is proud to be the hosting country of the Thalassemia International Federation – a global umbrella organisation of 120 thalassemia patients’ associations from 57 countries across the world. Cyprus and the UAE have a mutual will to help people with thalassemia that extends beyond our borders, as we work together to raise awareness and provide support to all affected countries of the world,” Michaelides added.

Read Full Story: KhaleejTimes | Zawya

Employees and their families will be issued privilege cards to avail of healthcare services at Burjeel facilities

Employees and their families will be issued privilege cards to avail of healthcare services at Burjeel facilities.

Abu Dhabi: The General Command of Abu Dhabi Police has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Burjeel Holdings to cooperate in the areas of medicine, scientific research, and training and to offer high-quality medical services to the employees of the Abu Dhabi Police.

The MoU was signed on behalf of the General Command of Abu Dhabi Police by Major General Khalifa Mohammed Al Khaili, Director of the Finance and Services Sector, and Dr. Shamsheer Vayalil, Founder and Chairman of Burjeel Holdings.

Major General Al Khaili emphasized the interest of the General Command in fostering partnerships and cooperation with various agencies to improve the exchange of experiences, review the best-advanced practices, and follow up on developments that raise performance to the best levels in accordance with specialized scientific and developmental approaches.

He pointed to Abu Dhabi Police’s continuous efforts to strengthen its strategic partnership with various institutions, explaining that the MoU aims to provide distinguished healthcare services for the employees and their families.

According to the MoU, a privilege card will be issued to the employees of the General Command of Abu Dhabi Police and their families, enabling them to seek treatment in hospitals under Burjeel Holdings in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, and Al Ain.

Dr. Shamsheer said, “We are proud of this valuable partnership as it will add to our significant contributions to the UAE’s healthcare industry. The agreement will guarantee the delivery of the highest levels of advanced healthcare to the beneficiaries in our hospitals. We are also happy to fulfil our social responsibility obligations by providing for and attending to the needs of Abu Dhabi Police employees. We are always keen to provide distinguished services in all specialties through our multiple medical facilities.”

(ENDS)

He suffered damage to his lungs, cardiac arrests, was unable to breathe without oxygen support, and was in a semi-conscious state for six months

Joyous scenes unfolded at Abu Dhabi’s LLH Hospital as colleagues of Arunkumar M. Nair welcomed him back to work after a gap of more than 15 months. It was in July last year that the frontline warrior got infected with Covid-19 and suffered damage to his lungs, cardiac arrests, failure to breathe and was in a semi-conscious state for six months. The operation theatre technician at Burjeel Holdings staged a miraculous recovery, and Nair was discharged in January. However, it took him nine more months to be fully fit, and return to duty after a battle of nearly 450 days against Covid-19 and the recovery phase.

“We are thrilled to welcome back Arunkumar Nair, our frontline warrior who fought Covid-19 bravely and made a remarkable recovery", said John Sunil, CEO, Burjeel Holdings. "We look forward to providing him with continued support as he settles back into work and wish him all success for the future.” Since July last year, Nair was on prolonged extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support and survived multiple cardiac arrests. After his discharge in January, he had hoped to get back to work soon, but was faced with a long road to recovery ahead of him. He was staying in a flat near the hospital, which the company provided to help him access medical support whenever required.

“I wasn’t in great shape. Basic daily activities were a challenge. Even going to the washroom alone was difficult in the first 2-3 months... [but] I had tremendous support from my wife Jenny for everything. It has only been a few months since I have been completely taken off oxygen support and started doing things on my own,” said Nair, a 39-year-old health worker from the Indian state of Kerala. During the recovery period, he also had a fever and long bouts of cough. Nair had a tracheostomy hole from his hospitalisation period that was covered with epithelial tissue, and it was not until a few months ago that doctors deemed him fit enough to undergo a procedure to close the hole.

Dr Tarig Ali Elhassan, specialist cardiac surgery, Burjeel Hospital, Abu Dhabi, who treated Nair, has been a constant source of encouragement. According to Dr Tarig, Nair is a fighter whose grit and determination have helped him recover from a life-threatening illness.

“He has shown great improvement in these last few months. [I'm] happy to see him in better health; healing is an ongoing process and we hope that he will be able to regain his pre-Covid state of health,” he said. Nair turned emotional when he described the support he received from his hospital and Burjeel Holdings. “I received excellent support from the management that has encouraged me to [move] forward. I don’t have [the] words to describe it. With the support and encouragement of the management, doctors, and my colleagues, I am in this position today. They were so considerate that they even arranged for me to be picked up during follow-up appointments.” While he was getting discharged from the hospital last January, his colleagues gathered in the hospital to celebrate his miraculous comeback. In a function arranged by the hospital staff, Burjeel Holdings’ management rewarded him with 5,000,000 Indian rupees. His wife, Jenny, is grateful for the support the family has received from those around them during this challenging period.

“During the months he spent at home, there were times he would feel really low. His colleagues from the hospital visited us at home and encouraged him a lot; he's definitely in a better frame of mind now,” she said. Jenny, a nurse, is waiting for her husband to get settled at work so she too can start working. Their son Arjun has been a ray of light in these tough circumstances. Seeing his son laugh and play daily has brought Nair a lot of positive energy.

“When I was admitted to the hospital, I had a deep desire to put him on my lap and play with him. In these last few months, he has been with me day and night. I consider this to be a big blessing in this difficult time,” Nair said. With Jenny’s help, Nair has started going for daily walks and engaging in light strength training at home. He remains eager to get back into the swing of things.

“The last few months have been a difficult experience mentally. I am certain that my daily activities and work will improve my mental and physical health. Seeing the world getting back to normal by easing restrictions gives me hope. At work, I was someone with a lot of responsibilities. I know I have limitations, but I am eager to take up all my duties again, work with the same zeal, and give it my best effort,” Nair added.

Read Full Story: Khaleej Times

Ashwani Kumar | Khaleej Times Filed on 2022-03-21

Region’s first-of-its-kind foetal medicine and therapy centre has opened its doors in Abu Dhabi to improve the outcome of pregnancies and save the lives of more babies and mothers.

Professor Kypros Nicolaides, known as the ‘Father of Foetal Medicine,’ said that the Kypros Nicolaides Fetal Medicine and Therapy Center at Burjeel Medical City would provide high-quality care in the UAE and beyond.

“I aim to better the standard and quality of the foetal medicine care that people of the UAE receive,” Prof. Nicolaides told Khaleej Times during an interview.

Foetal medicine is a branch of medicine specialising in monitoring the health concerns of the mother and foetus prior to, during, and shortly after pregnancy, especially in high-risk cases. Care and therapy in this area include assessing foetal growth and wellbeing, identifying and diagnosing any abnormalities or complications, developing a treatment plan for them, and providing counselling and support for parents.

Prof Nicolaides leads the Fetal Medicine Research Institute at King’s College Hospital, London, and his pioneering work has advanced the UK’s standing as a global leader in women’s health.

The new centre has been launched in collaboration between the institute and the Fetal Medicine Department at Burjeel Medical City. This association is yet another example of the UAE’s ability to attract top global talents and offer world-class care to the community members.

“I have chosen to collaborate with Burjeel Medical City because it is a leading medical care provider. I have a long-standing association with Dr Shamsheer Vayalil, chairman and Managing Director of VPS Healthcare,” he said and noted that the centre will deal with all aspects of foetal medicine and foetal surgery.

“We will use modern technologies and innovative methods to provide the best care in the UAE. We continuously strive to improve the quality of care and find treatments for the many conditions that adversely harm mothers and babies.”

It is common for pregnant women in the region to travel to the West to seek care for complex foetal problems. Foetal surgery can be used to treat spina bifida, congenital diaphragmatic hernia, and twin to twin transfusion to improve outcomes of babies.

The new centre is designed to meet the increasing requirement for foetal medicine and therapy.

“As gestational diabetes is one of the major medical complications in pregnancy, most of our research will focus on gestational diabetes and preeclampsia. The findings and outcomes of these research studies will impact our work at Burjeel Medical City and the UAE.”

The medical team at the centre will be led by Dr Mandeep Singh, medical director and consultant in maternal and foetal medicine of Burjeel Farha. He will work in collaboration with Prof Nicolaides in managing complex problems affecting babies and expectant mothers. Dr Singh is the former director of the Kypros Nicolaides Fetal Medicine Center at Southend University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, UK.

The centre will avail the services of experts from London’s King’s College Hospital.

Dr Vayalil said the centre's launch is a momentous occasion as it is the first-of-its-kind integrated facility in the region.

“This is a decisive step toward providing comprehensive foetal care to patients undergoing high-risk pregnancies in the UAE. The department will offer high-quality services to facilitate the best outcomes for both mother and baby during pregnancy, labour, delivery, and the post-partum period.”

Prof Nicolaides has revolutionised foetal medicine through his extensive research and medical practice achievements, from introducing intrauterine blood transfusions for foetal anaemia, to carrying out endoscopic laser surgery for twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome. He is a recipient of the Grand Cross of Makarios III – the highest civilian honour awarded by Cyprus.

He was elected to the US National Academy of Medicine in 2020, one of the highest honours in the fields of health and medicine, for his seminal contributions to the field of obstetrics.

Read Full Story: Khaleej Times

Surgeons at a private hospital in Abu Dhabi have successfully removed a benign meningioma tumour from the skull base of an Egyptian expat woman to save her eyesight.

Husna Ahmed Mohamed, a mother of four children, had severe vision loss because of a tumour on the optic nerve, at the base of her skull. The Ras Al Khaimah resident endured persistent nausea and headaches following an acute bleed from her tumour.

“In the beginning, I only felt slightly ill from time to time. I noticed it more in December 2021, when I started to really feel consistent heavy dizziness. So, I went to a hospital in Ras Al Khaimah on a day when it was particularly bad, and towards that evening I couldn’t even see properly. I went for a second diagnosis afterwards, and that’s when I was told I had a tumour,” recollected Husna, who has been living in the UAE for the past 10 years.

From Ras Al Khaimah, she was referred to hospitals in Sharjah and Dubai, before taking a family friend’s advice to try Burjeel Medical City (BMC) under VPS Healthcare, in Abu Dhabi.

The surgical team led by neurosurgery consultant Dr Mohamed Elzoghby along with the assistance of Dr Salim Kanaan, consultant, neurosurgeon, performed a four-hour-long minimally invasive surgery to remove the tumour completely.

Dr Elzoghby said that a 3cm tumour was in the suprasellar area at the base of the skull, which necessitated a minimal invasive surgery to minimise the risk of complications or side effects.

“The tumour was pressing on the optic nerve. Any additional pressure may have caused vision loss, bleeding, or an imbalance in the pituitary gland hormones.”

The surgery was performed without any complications and scans revealed total removal of the tumour.

Prof. Dr Amr El Shawarbi, head of neuroscience, VPS Healthcare, underlined: “With the minimal invasive approach, the surgery is done through a very small skull opening and minimal brain compression or retraction, saving patients from intra and perioperative complications.”

Husna, who is in her 40s, has experienced improvement in her vision, and got complete relief from nausea and headaches. She was discharged four days after surgery, and has resumed her normal life.

“I was happy with the treatment I received from BMC. The services provided are truly on an international level and the standards are incredible. The doctors are friendly. The hospital is exceptionally clean, and I felt very well looked after. I went back to the hospital for a follow-up appointment after the surgery and everything came back positive,” Husna added.

Read Full Story: KhaleejTimes | alroeya