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UAE: How a wheelchair-bound Emirati started walking again

Abu Dhabi - The lady suffers from several health conditions such as obesity, end-stage kidney disease and hypertension.

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A 59-year-old Emirati lady, who suffers from multiple comorbidities and has been tied to a wheelchair for long, has been able to walk again, because of a well-rounded treatment plan and the use of the latest diagnostic tools.

The lady suffers from several health conditions such as obesity, end-stage kidney disease and hypertension.

She visited Al Zafaranah Diagnostic & Screening Center under the Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (Seha) because she was feeling excruciating pain in both her knees.

X-rays and ultrasounds showed signs of osteoarthritis in both the knees and the DEXA scan – a painless procedure to measure bone density – was also conducted to ascertain the extent of the damage.

A team of experts developed a treatment plan, including pain relief and anti-inflammatory injections, for both the knees, and a two-week gap was formulated in the treatment plan.

The injections helped relieve the pain in her knees.

Soon, she started to get up from her wheelchair and became mobile with the help of a walking stick.

Dr Dilshad Elahee Ansari, orthopaedic specialist, Al Zafaranah Diagnostic & Screening Center, said the patient suffered multiple illnesses and was undergoing frequent dialysis.

However, diagnostic tools like DEXA and other tests helped devise a treatment plan to ease pain and swelling in her knees.

“We opted to proceed with local injections as opposed to oral medications to treat her other health conditions. She is responding well to the treatment and has shown remarkable improvement,” Dr Ansari said.

The orthopaedics clinics are available in Abu Dhabi at Al Zafaranah Diagnostic & Screening Center, along with newly opened ones at Baniyas and Al Bahia Healthcare Centres.

In Al Ain, the service is available at Oud Al Touba Diagnostic & Screening Center, Al Yahar, Al Hili and Al Quaa Healthcare Centres.

Dr Ahmed Al Shamary, orthopaedic specialist, Oud Al Touba Diagnostic & Screening Centre, said early diagnosis is key in treating orthopaedic disorders and pain in the bone, muscle or joints.

“Treating these ailments are not limited to the orthopaedic department, as patients often require referral to rheumatology or endocrinology or physiotherapy sessions. Usually, we put together a comprehensive treatment plan in coordination with the patient’s family physician and a specialist. A holistic treatment plan improves the patient’s quality of life,” Dr Al Shamary added.

ashwani@khaleejtimes.com

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• Abu Dhabi