UAE becomes first Gulf country to offer artificial joint replacement of the thumb

The recent “Minimally Invasive Hand Surgery Technics Conference” held at the Sharjah Surgical Institute at the University of Sharjah revealed a new method being used in hand surgery.

Experts at the conference announced that the UAE had become the first country in the GCC region to offer the surgery to replace the thumb joint with an artificial joint. An advanced technique using an endoscope to decompress the median nerve in the hand is now also being offered for the first time in the UAE.

The conference witnessed the participation of 14 hand surgeons and other healthcare professionals from across the Middle East who discussed modern techniques in the fields of hand surgery, microscopic surgery, and ultrasound surgeries.

Dr Marouane Bouloudhnine, Consultant Orthopedics Surgeon at Burjeel Hospital in Dubai and Chairman of the Conference, said that the use of the artificial joint for the thumb has started recently. Elaborating on the use of the latest endoscope for carpal tunnel, he said, "This is a new surgical method to release the pressure on the median nerve in the hand. The surgery, which takes over an hour, leads to a faster recovery and a better return to normal life when compared to a traditional method with a larger surgical opening. The endoscope we use is only intended for this type of surgery. The technique has been in use in America and Europe. Now, it is available in the UAE."

The doctor also informed of the establishment of the Hand Surgeons Association last January as a part of the Emirates Medical Association. He stressed the importance of seeking specialised surgeons for hand operations instead of patients opting for treatment by general orthopedic doctors.