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The UAE has always been lauded for its blood transfusion safety services, and now, the recent introduction of apheresis is further revolutionizing blood transfusion medicine, placing the country on the global healthcare map.
Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City (SSMC), a joint venture between Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (SEHA) and Mayo Clinic, recently established the ssApheresis Unit as part of the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine. The brand new unit, the only one of its kind in the UAE, will be part of the Transfusion Medicine Service.
Transfusion medicine is a branch of medicine that involves laboratory testing of blood components, clinical transfusion practice, patient blood management, and apheresis. The apheresis department will support a wide range of specialties including hematology and oncology, nephrology, neurology, dermatology and bone marrow transplant programs.
Dr Hiba AlHumaidan, Consultant Clinical Pathologist and Head of Transfusion Medicine Services and Apheresis Unit at SSMC, said: “Our new apheresis unit has made a huge difference for us, with state-of-the-art technology offering increased Support in some key specialties such as haematology and oncology.”
“The potential of blood transfusion medicine services is incredible, we are able to support the management of various diseases, and with plans to develop further, we can provide new technologies and procedures to help more people in the UAE who may be eligible for such treatment,” she added. Say.
The first successful cases of drug treatment with blood transfusions were Mohamed Al-Shehhi, a 64-year-old Emirati, who was diagnosed with a very rare type of cutaneous lymphoma (cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, also known as Sezary syndrome) 2019 .
For eight months, Al-Shehhi underwent various treatments in the UAE without any improvement and was recommended for extracorporeal phototherapy (ECP), a non-surgical blood collection procedure in which white blood cells are isolated and treated with specific drugs. Treatment followed by exposure to UVA light during a visit to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. While Al-Shehhi improved significantly after receiving the treatment at Mayo Clinic, it was not available in the UAE at the time.
“Being able to receive this treatment here in my home country has had a huge impact on me, and it means I no longer have to travel abroad for long periods of time to seek treatment,” said Al-Shehhi.
Dr. Mustaqeem Siddiqui, Vice Chair, Practice Chair and Consultant, Division of Hematology and Oncology at SSMC, explained: “As pioneers in complex, person-centred care, we are very excited to bring this technology and innovative treatment to all the people of the UAE. This truly Transforming how healthcare is delivered in the region and further placing Abu Dhabi on the global healthcare map.”
The UAE was declared the global capital of hemovigilance in 2017, said Dr Nikita Singh, a specialist in internal medicine at Aster Clinic in Business Bay. Hemovigilance is the procedure for reporting adverse effects of blood transfusions to ensure the safety and effectiveness of blood transfusions. “Blood transfusion itself can be a double-edged sword, and while it can have undesirable and harmful side effects, it can prove to be life-saving if the right resources are available, as in the UAE,” she said.
She added: “With the recent introduction of apheresis that has revolutionized blood transfusion medicine, we are now taking a huge leap forward in transfusion medicine. As a doctor, I am very excited to see this innovative technology in the UAE. It is constantly A huge advance in the developing field of medicine.”
According to Dr. AlHumaidan, symptoms have been successfully improved in almost all apheresis cases because it is a supportive treatment. “Apheresis is supportive care to a patient’s larger treatment plan, so it’s hard to say success rates because there are indications of very successful category 1 and then category 3. But generally, it’s Successfully it was used according to the guidelines.”
Apheresis is a medical procedure that supports the management of over 80 different conditions and diseases. This is done by directing blood from the patient’s veins through tubing to a machine that separates the blood into its components. Diseased components are either removed or replaced, while the remaining blood components are reinfused into the patient.
The entire process may take two to four hours.
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