MUSCAT, SEP 24 - A revolutionary stem cell treatment for bone and joints was unveiled at the Oman Health Expo which was officially opened by Dr Ahmed bin Mohammed al Saeedi, Minister of Health, on Monday at the Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre.
“We are delighted to have hosted this event and some of the specialists and their inventions along with Oman Medical Association. It will definitely be an added value to the healthcare sector of the country,” Dr Al Saeedi, told the Observer.
In stem-cell therapy, stem cells are used to treat or prevent a disease or condition and bone marrow transplant has been the most widely used stem-cell therapy. However, some therapies derived from umbilical cord blood are also in use.
Dr William Hodge, a renowned American Knee Regenerative and Reconstruction Specialist, introduced his life-changing technique to the people of Oman and the visitors to the expo were given a complimentary consultation with a team of specialist doctors.
“Stem cell treatment is a new type of therapy for joint pains, arthritis, injuries to their knee joints and other bone injuries. These stem cells are cells taken from the patient’s body, that have the capacity to regenerate new tissues and can heal tissues. They are living stems and also have the capacity to prevent inflammation,” Dr William Hodge told the Observer.
Dr Hodge, who has gained international patent for the ‘Arabic Knee’ in the Middle East, and has also designed, patented and perfected joint resurfacing, has conducted over 6,000 knee joint and 3,000 hip joint procedures globally to restore patients to lead active lifestyles without significant limitations or pain. In all, he has treated over 100,000 joint patients worldwide using the revolutionary therapy.
“Arabs appear to injure knees earlier and more often than people compared to people from other parts of the world and soaring obesity rates can be one of the contributing factors to this situation,” Dr William added.
“With the introduction of this new way of treatment, my aim here is to preserve the natural joint and utilise your body’s ability to heal, getting back to active life quicker and pain-free. Additionally, cartilage damage and arthritis can be delayed and we can even avoid surgery. However, if the joint has advanced destruction, then surgical resurfacing and repair may be needed to provide fast recovery,” he said.
The minister further said that new hospitals and medical facilities and quality service coming up in the country can help create a positive image about the country’s healthcare sector.
“With all the national efforts to provide better healthcare, Oman is set to be a highly sought-after medical tourism destination from the rest of the world,” the minister added.
Dr Hodge said that the non-surgical solution with one’s own stem cells can exponentially reduce a person’s need for surgery. Instead of having to replace a knee with an artificial implant, stem cell therapy in knee-joints can be used to re-grow new and healthy tissues that have been damaged or are degenerating. The benefits of stem cell treatment are life-changing and the costs involved are reasonable.
“People who have encountered an injury to the knee or have chronic knee pain due to a past injury or arthritis are good candidates for knee stem cell therapy,” said Dr Raza Siddiqui, Executive Director of RAK Hospital, which is bringing Dr Hodge to Oman.
“The treatment is particularly useful for patients suffering from osteo or rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis, knee injury, torn cartilage or tendons and rotator cuffs,” he added.
Stem cell therapy for knees uses Mesenchymal cells of one’s body that act as repairmen cells of the body and cultures them in the lab for treatment. As humans age or get injuries, sometimes the body cannot get enough of these critical repair cells to the injured area.
The Regenerative Cell therapy helps solve this problem by greatly increasing body’s own natural cells repairing.
This is accomplished by harvesting cells from areas of the body known to be rich in mesenchymal stem cells and then concentrating those cells in a lab before precisely re-injecting them into the damaged area in need of repair.
KABEER YOUSUF
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