(MENAFN- Mid-East.Info)
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates: Physicians at Cleveland clinic Abu Dhabi, an integral part of Mubadala Health, have brought a patient's more than a decade of debilitating chronic pain to an end, thanks to an innovative surgical implant.
Abdulla El Hashdy, a 29-year-old Emirati working as a financial analyst in the capital, endured chronic pain caused by a combination of three different medical conditions. Diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in 2010, Abdulla also lives with metabolic myopathy and myalgia paresthetica. These conditions combined to cause nerve pain in his upper and lower limbs alongside muscle ache and a burning sensation. Despite visiting numerous doctors in the UAE and United States and being prescribed a range of medications, Abdulla continued to experience severe pain as well as a range of side effects from his medications.
“My life was being eaten up by medications, diabetes, and pain. I started to feel that my illness was in total control of my life. I couldn't plan any activities because of the pain and my medications didn't ease it for free – I had to pay a very heavy price. They clouded my mind and made me feel disconnected from the world,” says Abdulla.
Desperate to find a solution and take back control of his life, Abdulla turned to Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi. He had heard the hospital had a dedicated pain clinic, something he had not previously encountered, and scheduled an appointment in the hope they might offer him relief.
“Pain can overshadow every other aspect of a person's life. When Abdulla first came to us, it was clear he was really suffering. He was facing a 'perfect storm' of conditions that combined to cause unbearable pain. His medications weren't working effectively and the side effects were taking a real toll. We tried a variety of approaches before settling on an innovative new form of spinal cord stimulation,” says Dr. Reda Tolba, Department Chair of Pain Management at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi.
After a comprehensive evaluation, Abdulla's care team determined that he would benefit from Differential Target Multiplexed Spinal Cord Stimulation, an advanced form of spinal cord stimulation that can block persistent pain signals. The device, implanted under the patient's skin near the spine, uses electrodes to activate both neurons in the spinal cord and glial cells to retrain the body to block persistent pain signals. Since undergoing the procedure and having the device adjusted to his individual needs, Abdulla has experienced an 80% reduction in his pain.
“When I visited Cleveland clinic Abu Dhabi the team understood my pain and suffering immediately. After trying a few approaches, they advised me that my best option would be this implant. Since having it installed, my life has changed completely, the pain is disappearing from my life. I'm an adventurous person and now I can go back to doing the things I love including skydiving,” continues Abdulla.
As a result of his surgery, Abdulla has been able to dramatically reduce the amount of medication he takes, enabling him to refocus on his life and work with a clear mind.
“Pain is a very hard thing to live with because very few people can understand what it's like. They see you taking medication and think you are weak or enjoy the effects. I still take medication but only when the pain beats both me and the device, which is a rare case,” concludes Abdulla.
Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi's Interventional Pain Department, part of the hospital's Anesthesiology Institute offers a wide variety of minimally invasive procedures to help patients suffering from chronic pain and reduce their need for pain killers.
“Reducing people's reliance on pain killers is an important part of the relief we aim to provide our patients. Side effects like mental fogginess or sedation can have a dramatic impact on a person's quality of life. In addition, as can be seen in the United States, long term use of certain pain medications can lead to addiction, which is a serious threat to public health,” concludes Dr. Reda.
About Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi :
Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, an integral part of Mubadala Health, is a multispecialty hospital on Al Maryah Island in Abu Dhabi, UAE. Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi is a unique and unparalleled extension of US-based Cleveland Clinic's model of care, specifically designed to address a range of complex and critical care requirements unique to the Abu Dhabi population.
Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi has the following Institutes: Heart & Vascular, Neurological, Digestive Disease, Eye, Respiratory, Critical Care, Surgical Subspecialties, Medical Subspecialties, Emergency Medicine, Anesthesiology, Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, Imaging, Quality & Patient Safety, and Clinical & Nursing. In all, more than 40 medical and surgical specialties are represented at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi.
The facilities at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi combine state-of-the-art amenities and world-class service standards. The hospital is a 394 (expandable to 490) bed facility, with five clinical floors, three diagnostic and treatment levels, and 13 floors of critical and acute inpatient units. It is a physician-led medical facility served by North American/European Board Certified (or equivalent) physicians. Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi provides patients in the region direct access to the world's best healthcare providers and Cleveland Clinic's unique model of care, reducing their need to travel abroad for treatment.
Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi – Al Ain began offering select medical services in December 2017. The facility is located on the Tawam Hospital Campus in Al Ain.
About Mubadala Health :
Mubadala Health is the integrated healthcare network of Mubadala Investment Company. Established in 2021, Mubadala Health operates, manages, and develops a portfolio of healthcare assets including: Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, Healthpoint, Imperial College London Diabetes Centre (ICLDC), Amana Healthcare, National Reference Laboratory (NRL), Capital Health Screening Centre (CHSC), Abu Dhabi Telemedicine Centre (ADTC), Danat Al Emarat, HealthPlus Diabetes & Endocrinology Center, HealthPlus Family Clinics, HealthPlus Fertility, HealthPlus Women's Health Center, Moorfields Eye Hospital Abu Dhabi, and a stake in Al Meswak Dental Clinics Group. With a vision to transform the regional healthcare landscape, Mubadala Health sets a new benchmark for the UAE and regional healthcare industry through its state-of-the-art facilities and world-class caregivers who strive to put patients first across its continuum of care. Innovation, research, and education are the foundational pillars of Mubadala Health, supporting the further development of a sustainable healthcare sector in line with the vision of Abu Dhabi and the region.
MENAFN04102021005446012082ID1102913419
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.