zelalem@rivexcel.com
Recently, a group of African media and PR team including myself had a chance of visiting a number of hospitals in UAE-Dubai, to witness their initiation towards medical tourism, state-of-the art services and the fact that they are well equipped with latest medical AI machines. Let me present to you one of the best, Neuro Spinal Hospital and some of its one-of-a-kind services in which I trust it will catch my people’s interest regarding effectiveness in health care.
Neuro Spinal Hospital (NSH) is the only hospital in the UAE that gives a Radiosurgery with the latest Cyber Knife surgery machine. The NSH is also a highly involved in education and training and has one of the largest wet (experimental) laboratories that offers surgeons hands on training. It actively supports and hosts many conferences and courses including the Arab Spine Course Diploma that teaches advanced techniques in spine surgery and that has to date received surgeons from different parts of the globe. The large number of stations allows trainees proper exposure and a real hands-on experience. Since its establishment in 2002, NSH has evolved into becoming a leading hospital in the UAE for treatment of neurosurgical and spinal disorders, and now is home to an advanced cancer center.
I strongly believe that Ethiopian medical community could well benefit from the training and knowledge transfer programs specially from the real time hands-on experiences from Neuro spinal Hospital, for the physicians and radiologists need an up- to- date technological approaches from time to time which eventually contribute a great deal for their specialization and to a healthier community at large.
What is Cyber Knife?
According to https://nshdubai.comCyber knife is an advanced non-invasive alternative to surgery for the treatment of benign or malignant tumors anywhere in the body.
It works by delivering high doses of radiation to eradicate the tumor with extreme accuracy ensuring that no harm is done to surrounding healthy tissue. This treatment modality not only offers new hope to patients who have inoperable or surgically complex tumors, but can also help avoid the complications associated with surgeries such as post-operative recovery pain, anesthesia and risks of infection. The Cyber Knife System has more than two decades of clinical proof and has helped hundreds of thousands of cancer patients.
How is Cyber knife radiosurgery different from conventional radiotherapy treatment?
NO PAIN NO Anesthesia NO hospitalization NO skin NO Blood loss
A Cyber Knife delivers treatment over one to five days, whereas traditional radiotherapy can take up to seven weeks.
Cyber Knife is mainly used for small, isolated tumors. Conventional radiotherapy is used to treat larger and more widespread cancers. Cyber Knife targets the tumor with pinpoint accuracy, so it inflicts minimal damage to the surrounding healthy tissue.
Because the size of the radiation field is smaller, clinicians can deliver very high doses of radiation safely. Tumors often move during treatment, even when the patient is immobilized. The Cyber Knife uses advanced robotic technology to automatically detect, track and correct for even the slightest movement as it occurs throughout treatment.
What can Cyber knife treat?
Cyber Knife is used to treat conditions throughout the body, including the prostate, lung, brain, spine, liver, pancreas, kidney, head and neck and to treat residual disease and to avoid recurrence.
Cyber Knife Stereotactic Radiosurgery is proven to be precise and effective for a broad range of neurological indications, including meningiomas, acoustic neuroma, pituitary adenomas, vascular malformations and functional disorders.
Benefits of Cyber Knife
• Most patients experience minimal or no side effects and recover quickly from the radiation therapy.
• The Cyber Knife system was designed for patient comfort during treatment.
• targets tumors previously considered unreachable by surgery or radiotherapy
• With Cyber Knife, you may have fewer complications and lower risks than surgery or conventional radiation
• Treatment with Cyber Knife can be completed quickly.
– Traditional radiation therapy may require as many as 30 sessions.
• does not require anesthesia, incisions, blood loss, or recovery time.
• uses the body’s bony structures or implanted markers to find its target. Similar techniques require patients to wear uncomfortable frames during the procedure.
• No overnight hospital stays are required.
• uses the Synchrony Respiratory Tracking System® to follow tumor movement, even while you breathe. Other techniques require patients to hold their breath during treatment.
• provides radiation to the tumor from more than 1,400 different possible angles to:
– Concentrate radiation on the tumor itself
– Avoid surrounding, healthy tissue
• treats previously radiated areas safely and effectively.
• allows doses to be spread over multiple visits.
– Unlike some radiosurgery systems
– Particularly helpful for avoiding damage to nearby normal tissues
What is the Radixact Tomotherapy System?
· The Radixact Tomotherapy system is a highly versatile, efficient radiation therapy machine, using high energy x rays to destroy and damage cancer cells. Its innovative helical design is unique to this radiation system and allows us to deliver radiation continuously at 360 degrees to the tumor, as the table couch moves continuously through the machine.
· The Radixact TomoTherapy system allows the Oncology team to identify the exact location, size and shape of tumors, this enables them to adjust the radiation beam for each specific case.
This type of radiation therapy is one of the most common treatments for cancer and approximately half of all cancer patients will have some type of radiation therapy as part of their treatment plan.
What types of cancer does Radixact Tomotherapy treat?
Brain cancers – Spinal cancers – Craniospinal cancers
Total bone marrow irradiation – Head and neck cancers – Breast cancers
Prostate cancers – Lung cancers – Pediatric cancers
Sarcomas – Liver cancers – Anal cancers – Pancreatic cancers
Gynecologic cancers
Benefits of Radixact Tomotherapy?
With Radixact TomoTherapy, physicians can adjust the size, shape and intensity of the radiation beam to accurately target the size, shape and location of the patient’s tumor. This offers several advantages, including:
· Verifying the location of each tumor before treatment
· Targeting tumors with optimal levels of radiation
· Minimizing the damage to surrounding, healthy areas
· Reducing the side effects of radiation therapy
Stay healthy and always take preventive measures!
Benefits of Cyber Knife
• Most patients experience minimal or no side effects and recover quickly from the radiation therapy.
• The Cyber Knife system was designed for patient comfort during treatment.
• targets tumors previously considered unreachable by surgery or radiotherapy
• With Cyber Knife, you may have fewer complications and lower risks than surgery or conventional radiation
• Treatment with Cyber Knife can be completed quickly.
– Traditional radiation therapy may require as many as 30 sessions.
• does not require anesthesia, incisions, blood loss, or recovery time.
• uses the body’s bony structures or implanted markers to find its target. Similar techniques require patients to wear uncomfortable frames during the procedure.
• No overnight hospital stays are required.
• uses the Synchrony Respiratory Tracking System® to follow tumor movement, even while you breathe. Other techniques require patients to hold their breath during treatment.
• provides radiation to the tumor from more than 1,400 different possible angles to:
– Concentrate radiation on the tumor itself
– Avoid surrounding, healthy tissue
• treats previously radiated areas safely and effectively.
• allows doses to be spread over multiple visits.
– Unlike some radiosurgery systems
– Particularly helpful for avoiding damage to nearby normal tissues
‘Frankly speaking, we are building to legacy not to business and are on the mission to better health care not only in the UAE but also worldwide.’ Dana Msaddi, COO – NSH, addressing the African media team PHOTO I E. Yegon
What is the Radixact Tomotherapy System?
· The Radixact Tomotherapy system is a highly versatile, efficient radiation therapy machine, using high energy x rays to destroy and damage cancer cells. Its innovative helical design is unique to this radiation system and allows us to deliver radiation continuously at 360 degrees to the tumor, as the table couch moves continuously through the machine.
· The Radixact TomoTherapy system allows the Oncology team to identify the exact location, size and shape of tumors, this enables them to adjust the radiation beam for each specific case.
This type of radiation therapy is one of the most common treatments for cancer and approximately half of all cancer patients will have some type of radiation therapy as part of their treatment plan.
What types of cancer does Radixact Tomotherapy treat?
Brain cancers – Spinal cancers – Craniospinal cancers
Total bone marrow irradiation – Head and neck cancers – Breast cancers
Prostate cancers – Lung cancers – Pediatric cancers
Sarcomas – Liver cancers – Anal cancers – Pancreatic cancers
Gynecologic cancers
Benefits of Radixact Tomotherapy?
With Radixact TomoTherapy, physicians can adjust the size, shape and intensity of the radiation beam to accurately target the size, shape and location of the patient’s tumor. This offers several advantages, including:
· Verifying the location of each tumor before treatment
· Targeting tumors with optimal levels of radiation
· Minimizing the damage to surrounding, healthy areas
· Reducing the side effects of radiation therapy
Stay healthy and always take preventive measures!