Latest news with #limbReconstruction
The National
04-06-2025
- Business
- The National
Renowned surgeon launches Abu Dhabi clinic to transform care for amputees
A pioneering orthopaedic surgeon who has dedicated his career to advancing prosthetic care around the world has a new mission to support amputee patients in the UAE. Prof Munjed Al Muderis, a renowned expert with decades of experience in the field, spoke of his vision to ensure limb loss never 'defines a person's future' after launching a cutting-edge clinic at Burjeel Medical City in Abu Dhabi. The Al Muderis Osseointegration Clinic – which opened last week in collaboration with the Paley Middle East Clinic – offers groundbreaking surgical techniques which aim to reduce recovery times and boost the mobility of patients adapting to a new way of life. The centre offers surgery, rehabilitation, training and long-term follow-up care. 'Mobility is life,' said Prof Al Muderis. 'Our mission is to ensure that limb loss never defines or limits a person's future.' Prof Al Muderis is a former refugee who fled Iraq in 1999 after refusing orders to perform amputations on army deserters under the regime of Saddam Hussein. He rebuilt his life in Australia and has gone on to become a global leader in limb reconstruction. He has treated more than 1,200 patients around the world – including soldiers from Ukraine, Iraq, Afghanistan and other countries wounded in war. New lease of life Most amputees wear prosthetics that attach using a socket that fits over the residual limb. These systems can cause skin breakdown, sores, sweating and instability. Osseointegration involves surgically inserting a titanium rod into the bone of the amputated limb. The rod extends through the skin and connects directly to the external prosthetic limb. Because the prosthesis is anchored to the skeleton, it moves naturally with the body, improving balance, comfort and control. When paired with robotic or muscle-controlled components, the prosthetic limb can respond to signals from the body, offering precise, intuitive motion. Recovery after surgery typically takes months, but Prof Al Muderis has developed a single-stage procedure that dramatically shortens healing time. In some cases, patients begin walking immediately after surgery, with a full recovery period as short as a week. 'I've operated on Ukrainian soldiers this year, and I'm going again this month,' he said. 'I've treated soldiers from many countries. They're young people who deserve to live full lives after injury.' His work has also helped civilians and children. The new clinic in Abu Dhabi will offer access to patients across the region, many of whom previously had to travel abroad for this kind of care. Osseointegration is expensive. In countries without insurance coverage, the procedure can cost between $80,000 and $100,000. However, studies show it can be more cost-effective over time. Traditional socket prosthetics need frequent replacement and adjustments, whereas the osseointegrated implant is long-lasting and more stable. Pledging support Dr Shamsheer Vayalil, founder and chairman of Burjeel Holdings, announced he would fund 10 osseointegration operations and pledged Dh4 million in support of the clinic's work. 'In the Year of the Community, it is our responsibility to support those who need advanced care and help bring them back to normal life,' Dr Vayalil said. 'When it begins with a touch of generosity, we've already succeeded.' He was inspired by the story of Sham and Omar, two young Syrian siblings who lost limbs in a devastating earthquake and were brought to the UAE for treatment. Their strength, he said, is what led him to act. Life-changing surgery Glenn Bedwell is one of the many patients whose lives have been transformed by the procedure. He was 35 when a celebration turned into catastrophe that changed the course of his life. In 1991, after attending a party with family at a friend's house, he began packing their belongings into the boot of his wife's car. As he stood at the back of the vehicle, a drink-driver lost control and crashed into him, crushing Mr Bedwell between the two cars and severing his right leg on the spot. 'There was no time to move or brace,' he told The National. 'One moment I was loading the trunk, and the next, my life had changed forever.' For more than 20 years, Mr Bedwell wore a socket-based prosthesis. It allowed him to return to work, raise his children, and continue living. But eventually, his skin began to react to the silicone liners used in the socket system. By 2012, he could no longer wear it without pain. 'My body just rejected it,' he said. 'The heat, the pressure points, the constant chafing. In the tropics, you sweat all the time. It just got to the point where I couldn't wear it any more.' Even sitting down became a hazard. 'I remember breaking toilet seats because of the shape and weight of the socket prosthesis,' he said. 'If you sat down too quickly, it would just snap.' That was when he heard about the work being carried out by Prof Al Muderis, and, within three months of meeting him, he underwent surgery. 'The difference was instant,' he said. 'There was nothing touching my skin any more. Suddenly, I had my life back. 'It's like going from a loose, heavy boot to something that feels like your actual leg. 'There's no slipping, no pressure points and you even get a sense of the ground underneath you.' Today, the father of two and grandfather of four walks without pain. He swims, rides a bicycle and no longer needs crutches. 'I have a water leg I use in the shower. I can jump into a swimming pool and climb the ladder to get out like anyone else,' he said. 'I don't worry about slipping any more.' He now travels with Prof Al Muderis to speak to other amputees considering the surgery. 'I'm not a doctor. I don't get paid for this,' he said. 'But if my story helps someone else make the decision, it's worth it.'
Telegraph
18-05-2025
- Health
- Telegraph
Great Ormond Street surgeon ‘left teenager in constant pain'
A teenager operated on by a Great Ormond Street Hospital surgeon has said he is living in 'constant pain'. Finias Sandu, 15, who was born with a condition that causes curved bones in the legs, underwent a reconstructive operation when he was seven to lengthen his left leg by 3.5cm. A few years later, he had the same procedure, which involved him wearing a heavy metal frame for months, on his right leg. Yaser Jabbar, who carried out the operation and who no longer works at the children's hospital, is now at the centre of an investigation reviewing the care given to more than 700 of his patients, which allegedly left some suffering 'severe harm'. Finias has now been told by independent reviewers that the procedures on his legs were 'unacceptable' and 'inappropriate' for his age, Sky News reported. Concerns have also been raised over a lack of imaging being taken prior to the operations. Pain 'is a companion to me' Hudgell Solicitors, who represent the Sandu family, said the experts had concluded he suffered 'moderate harm' as a result of the treatment he had received. 'The pain is there every day, every day I'm continuously in pain,' the teenager told Sky News. 'It's not something really sharp, although it does get to a certain point where it hurts quite a lot, but it's always there. It just doesn't leave, it's a companion to me, just always there.' Mr Jabbar, who worked at the London hospital between 2017 and 2022, is reported to be an expert in limb reconstruction, but has not had a licence to practise medicine in the UK since January, according to the General Medical Council's website. The Royal College of Surgeons carried out a review of Great Ormond Street's paediatric orthopaedic service after concerns were raised by patients' families and staff. As part of its review, the RCS raised concerns about a former surgeon and other practices within the service. Great Ormond Street has asked a group of independent paediatric orthopaedic consultants from other UK hospitals to carry out a review of the care of patients treated by Mr Jabbar. Some, including Finias, have required corrective surgery. By the end of last month 416 patients had been reviewed, a Great Ormond Street spokesman said. 'Trusting somebody is hard to do, knowing what they have done to me physically and emotionally, you know, it's just too much to comprehend for me,' Finias said. 'We just went by what the doctor said' 'It wasn't something just physically, like my leg pain and everything else. It was emotionally, because I put my trust in that specific doctor. My parents and I don't really understand the more scientific terms, we just went by what he said.' Finias and his family moved to their native Romania soon after the reconstructive frame was removed from his right leg in 2021. He is receiving therapy and mental health support as he prepares for corrective surgery later in the year. A spokesman for Great Ormond Street Hospital said: 'We are deeply sorry to Finias and his family, and all the patients and families who have been impacted. 'We want every patient and family who comes to our hospital to feel safe and cared for. 'We will always discuss concerns families may have and, where they submit claims, we will work to ensure the legal process can be resolved as quickly as possible.'
