Seha helps patient stop using wheelchair
ABU DHABI: Abu Dhabi Health Services Company Seha, the UAE’S largest healthcare network, has unveiled a new orthopaedic clinic in Abu Dhabi’s Baniyas and Al Bahia Healthcare Centres, which are managed by Ambulatory Healthcare Services (AHS), in line with the network’s drive towards streamlining access for specialised services.
Dr. Ahmed Al Shamary, Orthopaedic Specialist, Oud-al-touba Diagnostic & Screening Centre said: “Orthopaedic challenges and pain in the bone, muscle, or joints have a significant impact on a person’s overall quality of life, which is why early diagnosis and rapid treatment is extremely important. To ensure early diagnosis, we utilise the latest diagnostic tools available, such as the DEXA scan, which is a quick and painless procedure that measures bone density and is oten used to diagnose or assess the risk of osteoporosis. In addition, treating orthopaedic ailments is not limited to the orthopaedic department, patients oten require referral to rheumatology or endocrinology or physiotherapy sessions, to support overall treatment. Therefore, we ensure that we put a comprehensive treatment plan in coordination with the patient’s family physician and the relevant specialist, in order to provide a holistic treatment plan that improves the patient’s quality of life.”
Recently, a 59-year-old patient visited Al Zafaranah Diagnostic & Screening Centre suffering from multiple co-morbidities including obesity, end stage kidney disease, and hypertension. She came in using a wheelchair as she had extreme pain in both knees. X-rays and ultrasounds carried out by the team showed signs of osteoarthritis (the most common form of arthritis) of both knees, with the DEXA scan also revealing osteoporosis.
The team developed a treatment plan that includes pain relief and anti-inflammatory injections for both knees with a two-week gap between each. The injections helped relieve the pain in her knees and she soon began walking with the support of a walking stick instead of a wheelchair.
Dr. Dilshad Elahee Ansari, Orthopaedic Specialist, Al Zafaranah Diagnostic & Screening Centre, said: “Since the patient was suffering from multiple illnesses and was undergoing frequent dialysis, and with the help of the DEXA scan and other exploratory tests and images, we developed a precise and cautious treatment plan to counter her pain and knee swelling.