Highlighting its first-class healthcare facilities and the wealth of experience of its orthopaedic team, the University Hospital of Sharjah (UHS), through its Himchan Joint and Spine Center, successfully conducted its first Total Ankle Replacement (TAR) operation for a 66-year-old female patient.
Himchan-UHS orthopaedic experts were able to remove the patient’s damaged ankle joint and replace it with an artificial metal implant. Also known as Total Ankle Arthoplasty, the operation required precision and experience on the part of the surgeons to ensure patient will be able to recover.
Dr. Ali Obaid Al Ali, UHS Chief Executive Officer and Member of the Board of Trustees, said: “The University Hospital of Sharjah has been achieving continuous success in its collaboration with Himchan for the health and wellness of our patients in the UAE and beyond. The successful completion of our first TAR operation at Himchan-UHS reflects our advanced facilities and highly capable orthopaedic experts, proving our readiness to treat our patients, even those with uncommon conditions. Every achievement we attain also helps us showcase our capabilities as a tertiary healthcare hub in the region.”
Dr. Seung Jun Park, Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon at Himchan-UHS Joint and Spine Center, explained: “To ensure the success of the TAR surgery, we needed to properly implant an artificial joint, which will remain in the body throughout the patient’s whole lifetime. We took every factor into consideration, including the patient’s age and activity level to come up with the most ideal implant and equipment for best results.”
Prior to the surgery, the patient visited Himchan-UHS Joint and Spine Center and complained of unbearable pain, swelling, and deformity on her ankle, which prevented her from walking normally. With advanced equipment and comprehensive consultation with the hospital’s orthopaedic experts, it was confirmed that the patient was suffering from end-stage ankle arthritis and needed a surgery.
To ensure the success of the operation, Dr. Park ordered an artificial ankle joint and surgical equipment from Europe. The team also invited Dr. Dong Hyun Suh, Head of Bupyeong Himchan Hospital in South Korea, to visit the UAE and monitor and observe the first TAR operation at UHS.
Through the expertise of the team at Himchan-UHS, the patient was able to walk after the surgery. Follow-up Korean physiotherapy sessions also helped ensure fast recovery considering her age. Moreover, the surgical procedure was able to resolve the pain that she was feeling on her ankle.
Dr. Park added: “We recommend patients to consult a physician as soon as possible to receive an accurate diagnosis especially in the earliest stage. That way, they will be able to recover fast and prevent themselves from undergoing invasive operations.”
TAR is a modern and intricate joint replacement surgery that is performed by experienced surgeons. In the case of ankle arthritis, other operations such as Ankle Fusion Surgery are recommended. However, recent medical developments advise otherwise since the latter fuses the tibia and talus, posing a higher risk of complications and discomfort during physical activities.
