Varicose vein treatment removes exercise barrier for

Varicose vein treatment removes exercise barrier for nation’s obese

Dr. Francesco Serino

Physicians at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, an integral part of Mubadala Health, are encouraging the community to seek specialist care for varicose veins to help them unlock a healthier future. Often seen as a cosmetic or minor issue, varicose veins are abnormal, dilated blood vessels caused by a weakening in the vessel wall that look like swollen, twisted clusters of blue or purple veins under the skin on the legs. Although varicose veins do not usually present with symptoms in their early stages, if left untreated they can cause pain, discomfort, ulcers and even raise a person’s risk of blood clots. on their overall health,” explains Dr. Francesco Serino, a vascular surgeon and Director of the Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi’s vein clinic.

As obesity rates in the UAE and across the developed world continue to rise, doctors expect to see similar growth in the number of people afected by varicose veins. While easily treated in their early stages, some of the later stage complications such as painful skin ulceration, aching leg muscles and a feeling of heaviness in the legs cannot be reversed. As a result, doctors fear this will further discourage people from getting the exercise they need to help control their weight and maintain a healthy heart.

“It’s never too late to make a healthy change in life by eating the right foods and moving our bodies more. If we are to tackle obesity, it’s important that we make that choice as easy as possible for people. By treating varicose veins early, we can help people feel empowered to make a healthy change and importantly, keep them mobile. It’s not a silver bullet but anything that encourages a more active life at any age is a true lifeline,” says Dr. Serino.

Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi’s ‘one stop’ vein clinic is designed to provide fast and convenient access to assessment, testing and treatment for varicose veins in a single visit. Following an initial consultation, more detailed testing can be ordered on the same day before proceeding to treatment if required. Stafed by vascular surgeons, scientists and specialized nurses, the vein clinic provides personalized care for each patient, helping them step into a healthier future.

The vein clinic at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi offers patients a range of treatment options from individualized compression technology to medications and a minimally invasive procedure that uses medical adhesive to quickly and effectively close a varicose vein. This procedure eliminates the need for invasive vein stripping surgery and avoids the high temperatures needed for laser treatment, allowing patients to return to normal activities the following day.

“Many people simply think that varicose veins are unsightly and a natural result of ageing. This is not the case. Without treatment, they can progress to greatly afect a person’s quality of life and in their advanced stage, limit a person’s mobility. As they are most common among people struggling with obesity, this reduced mobility can make their situation worse and have a profound efect “Varicose veins can be treated very easily, particularly in their early stages. The problem is that people don’t think they have a problem until they begin experiencing symptoms that afect their quality of life. As soon as you notice a varicose vein, you should consult a doctor for specialist advice to avoid more serious problems down the line,” continues Dr. Serino.

SEHA PIoneers the transfusion of washed platelets in SEHA care facilities

Abu Dhabi Health Services Company, (SEHA), the UAE’s largest healthcare network, provided washed platelets to a patient with very low platelets count who experienced an anaphylactic shock when transfused with platelets. An anaphylactic shock is a sudden and severe allergic reaction characterized by a marked drop in blood pressure, shortness of breath, and a signifcant decrease in oxygen saturation. The washing of platelets provided by donors, a procedure performed by Abu Dhabi Blood Bank Services (ADBBS), removes the plasma and proteins from blood products signifcantly reducing the risk of allergic transfusion reactions.

Dr. Saad Muhallab, Medical Director, ADBBS – Al Ain, said: “Five minutes following the start of platelets transfusion, which is required to treat his pre-existing condition, the patient presented with symptoms consistent with an anaphylactic reaction. This extremely rare reaction is caused by the presence of antibodies to a protein that is defcient in the patient’s blood due to hereditary causes. Patients who react like this to platelets transfusion must only be given washed platelets free from plasma containing proteins to caveat a reoccurrence.” WITH A FIRSTOF-ITS-KIND PROCEDURE IN SEHA CARE FACILITIES. THE NETWORK SUPPLIED WASHED PLATELETS TO RESOLVE A PATIENT’S VERY LOW PLATELET COUNT WHO REACTED WITH AN ANAPHYLACTIC SHOCK TO PLATELETS TRANSFUSION.

Experts at ADBBS – Al Ain quickly jumped into action, adopting a new protocol for washing of blood platelets provided by donors and administering them to the patient in record time, to which the patient responded well. Following the procedure, the patient’s platelet count returned to the optimal range without causing any further reactions or symptoms.

“To ensure we meet this patient’s and others acute and ongoing demand for platelet transfusions, ADBBS has now adopted a platelet washing protocol, which requires two and a half hours for preparation. With the appropriate expertise and a validated protocol in place, we catered for the patient’s daily needs of washed platelets for two weeks and will be able to quickly react to any future cases of similar reactions,” added Dr. Muhallab.

ADBBS was established in 2020 and is overseen by the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DOH) and managed by SEHA. Operating within a network of blood donation centers located in Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and Al Dhafra regions, ADBBS provides blood products and transfusion-related medical services across the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. By collaborating with the relevant authorities, stakeholders, hospitals, clinicians, and volunteer blood donors, ADBBS is an active and integral contributor to Abu Dhabi’s healthcare system, ensuring quality that adheres to international and local standards of excellence, established by the American Association of Blood Banks (AABB), the UAE Federal Regulation of Blood Transfusion, and the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi.