Abu Dhabi: Physicians at the Abu Dhabi-based Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City (SSMC), the UAE’s largest hospital for serious and complex care and a joint-venture partnership between Mayo Clinic and Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (Seha), have introduced a pioneering new endoscopic procedure that is set to significantly improve patient care.
This procedure, known as spiral enteroscopy, marks the first time the technique has been used in the UAE. It will be employed to examine, and in some cases, treat conditions in the small intestine, helping to improve diagnosis and patient outcomes for chronic and complex conditions.
Spiral enteroscopy is an over-tube system that slides over an enteroscope, an instrument for inspecting the insides of the intestine, and has a spiral located on the tip. The spiral is rotated to allow the enteroscope to move quickly and examine the small intestine.
Innovative examination
Dr Matthew Gettman, chief medical officer of SSMC, commented: “We are extremely proud to bring a new and innovative examination and therapeutic technique to diagnose and treat small intestine conditions to the UAE. Patient care and experience are at the heart of everything we do, which is why we are committed to leveraging Mayo Clinic and Seha’s knowledge and expertise to bring the latest medical advancements and diagnostic and treatment methods to their doorstep.”
As part of the UAE’s integrated health ecosystem, SSMC is also partnering with other health-care providers across the region to deploy spiral enteroscopy for their patients.
Dr Abdulqader Almessabi, consultant of gastroenterology and hepatology and deputy chief medical officer for medicine, and Dr Ibrahim Al Hosani, consultant of gastroenterology and hepatology, pioneered the establishment of the spiral enteroscopy technique at SSMC. Dr Al Hosani is the first physician in Abu Dhabi to perform spiral enteroscopy on a patient. The procedure was done for therapeutic purposes through the colon.
‘Spiral enteroscopy’
“Diagnosing and treating conditions within the small intestine have traditionally involved invasive and time-consuming procedures. With innovative techniques like spiral enteroscopy, the examination of gastrointestinal conditions and several treatment procedures will now take less than half an hour, instead of the standard two hours,” said Dr Al Messabi.
The technique is used to examine patients with symptoms that are indicative of gastrointestinal conditions, such as Crohn’s disease, the inflammation of the digestive tract; unclear iron deficiency, small bowel ulcerations, small bowel bleeding and small bowel masses.
Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City (SSMC) is a joint venture between Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (SEHA), the UAE’s largest health-care network, and Mayo Clinic, a non-profit global leader in medical care, education and research headquartered in the United States.
