King Fahad Specialist Hospital – Dammam won the Ibn Tilmeez Award, Poster Presentation for Quality & Safety/ Healthcare Management at the World Federation of Societies of Intensive and Critical Care Medicine (WFSICCM). The Emirates Critical Care Conference – Dubai 2010 in conjunction with 2nd Asia Africa Conference of the World Federation of Societies of Intensive and Critical Care Medicine (WFSICCM) was held at the InterContinental Hotel Dubai Festival City, Event Centre, Dubai, United Arab Emirates from April 25 – 27, 2010. The event was being held under the patronage of his H. H. Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum. The winning poster presentation as “Assessment of Need Balanced Scorecard”. Noting that, Dr. Khalid Shukri, General Secretary of the International Pan-Arab Society in Critical Care Medicine & Consultant of Critical Care Medicine & Director Quality Management and Development Administration in King Fahad Specialist Hospital- Dammam was elected as Regional Representative of the International Pan-Arab Intensive & Critical Care medicine Societies in the World Federation of Societies of Intensive and Critical Care Medicine (WFSICCM) dated August 28, 2009 in Florence, Italy as an executive council for a 4 year term. Dr. Shukri was elected based on his proven reputation, dynamism and career accomplishments, & effective strategic leadership in the promotion of critical care education, training, guidelines and research in the Arab world, making him the first Saudi critical care physician to be in the council since its establishment in 1974.

The neurosurgical team led by Dr. Mohammed Kassab, Consultant Neurosurgeon in King Fahad Specialist Hospital in Dammam performed a surgical operation where they had to remove a colloid cyst found deep within the brain cavities using a keyhole technique by a neuroendoscope & surgical laser. Dr. Al-Kassab pointed out that neuroendoscopic brain surgery is most advanced and complex. The surgical procedure took 2 hours; in it, the surgeons made a small three centimeters incision & drilled a hole through the skull bone. Al-Kassab added that this is the first time the surgical laser is used in such surgeries, which contributed to facilitate the process of removing the tumor and reducing the duration of surgery. The patient recovered thanks to God and was able to leave the hospital after only forty-eight hours after his procedure with full health. Al-Kassab mentioned that these keyhole operations & endoscopic brain surgeries are a success and are being done regularly in the Neurosurgery Department at King Fahd Specialist Hospital in Dammam by a team of our best Specialists & Consultants.

A team from the neuroscience centre at KFSH-D has recently performed a high-tech operation for refractory epilepsy for the first time in the Eastern province. The operation was done on a young male with a benign brain tumor close to the speech area of the brain. The patient was complaining of epilepsy which was not responding to medical therapy. After a thorough investigation, the patient was found to be suitable to this type of operation. The operation performed under local anesthesia to monitor the speech function during the surgery. Two high-tech machines were used during the surgery; the first to localize the speech area in the brain cortex and the second to record the electrical activities of the brain cortex directly. The tumor was removed completely with intact speech function and disappearance of all abnormal electrical activities. The patient recovered very well after surgery and he had no neurological deficit. A big team of 2 neurosurgeons( Dr Tarek Jallul, and Dr Mahmoud Taha), 2 neurologists ( Dr Raeda Albaradie, and Dr Khaled Alquliti), one neurophysiologist ( Dr Kabiraj), one Neuropsychologist ( Dr Maisa Albraik) and 2 anesthesiologists (Prof. Mohammed Abdullatif, and Dr Yaser Hamad) were involved in this operation. This new procedure will fulfill the mission of KFSH-D in providing the best health care to the population of Eastern Province at the highest international standards. 

A Surgical Team led by Dr. Mohammad bin Hassan Al-Nahhas Chairman of the Orthopedics Department, Consultant Orthopedic Musculoskeletal , arthroscopic and Sports Medicine, "Sports Injuries" in King Fahad Specialist Hospital in Dammam. With the participation of the Plastic Surgery Department in King Fahad Specialist Hospital that conducted a surgery to remove a malignant tumor from the knee of a young sixteen year old boy. The patient was suffering from swelling in the knee that later showed to be a tumor after taking the necessary tests and examinations. Dr. Al-Nahhas stated that after viewing the patients test results, and after discussing the case with the team, they found that the patient should undergo Chemotherapy treatment then a necessary surgery to remove the tumor. The Surgery lasted 6 hours and the surgical team successfully removed the whole tumor, then the patient returned to his Chemotherapy treatment In order to provide the best results and to preserve the patient leg from amputation and the patient can lead a normal life. 20 Centimeters of the bone was compensated with a special Industrial Joint used in such cases of bone tumors, which differs from the other Industrial Joint that is used to for osteoartheritis. Dr. Al-Nahhas added that King Fahad Specialist Hospital in Dammam introduced Shock-wave treatment to its patients. Shock-wave treatment is a type of acoustic shock waves used in cases such as non-healing fractures, fibrosis muscles and tendons, and any other painful areas where Shock-wave treatment break-up the sediment and loosen fibrous tissue. Al-Nahhas Mentions this device is more accurate in guiding the high waves according to the doctors precise orders. It reaches as deep as the tissues that affect the muscles and tendons. It also assists the blood Reperfusion in the internal pelvic bones in some cases, such as sickle cell anemia in its early stages. Dr. Al-Nahhas assured that the results of this devise are very good, And in some cases can delay certain types of operations and is suitable for patients of all ages. Patients that we are always keen on providing them with the best effective health care.

A Surgical team led by Dr. Mahmoud Taha Consultant Neurosurgeon & Dr. Ali Al-Mu'min Consultant ENT Surgeon in King Fahad Specialist Hospital in Dammam successfully eradicated a brain tumor from a fifty year old patient that has spread through her Nasal Cavity. It was a complex surgical procedure, but a successful one. Dr. Taha mentions that the patient came in complaining from nose blockage. X-rays showed a frontal skull base tumor extending into the Nasal Cavity. The operation took 12 hours and the surgeons were able to open the patient's skull and remove the brain tumor then enter through the nose to remove the rest of the tumor. After removing the two parts of the tumor, the skull base was reconstructed by using an artificial Titanium plate. Dr. Taha states, "These types of tumors are rare and complex, but God has given us the will therefore the operation was a success and the patient was discharged from hospital 10 days after her operation in a good health, thank God" It is worth mentioning that King Fahd Specialist Hospital in Dammam has always sought out to provide the best health services to its patients, most importantly its specialized health care services are in the hands of a full range of specialists to support the patients of our region.

Donor Team Start Using The LifePort Kidney Transporter

In the strive to become a specialized center of excellence, new technology is being introduced every day to KFSH-D. One in particular is the Life Port Kidney Transporter. Created with the challenges of organ recovery and transplant in mind, LifePort Kidney Transporter is designed to provide improved kidney preservation and perfusion from organ recovery to transplantation. When a human kidney becomes available for transplantation it needs to be preserved and often transplanted from the donor to recipient in hospital's that can be many miles away. Traditionally kidneys are packed in ice in a cool box, known as static storage. LifePort provides a sealed, sterile, protected environment where a solution is gently pumped through the kidney at cold temperatures to minimize damage while the organ is outside. The LifePort is lightweight and portable allowing organs to be perfused from the time of recovery until the transplant. It can travel unaccompanied by land or air, safely transporting the kidneys across town or between countries. While the kidney is being perfused, the LifePort records data on temperature, flow rate, vascular resistance and pressure every 10 seconds, providing surgeons with additional data prior to transplantation. This extraordinary machine is the first of its kind in the Middle East, and the organ donor team was the first to use it. Donor Clinical Coordinator Ginalyn Estevez and Ma. Caroline Gonzales with the Transplant Surgeons, Dr. Faisal Al-Saif and Dr. Mahmoud Tabal successfully transported the kidney using LifePort from King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center in Riyadh to KFSH-Dammam during the last multi organ recovery in January 22nd, 2010.

The Head of the Saudi Center for Organ Transplant Dr. Faisal Shaheen, who is also Consultant for Internal and Kidney Diseases stated the importance of how LifePort Kidney Transporter preserves the Kidneys, he mentions that there are studies and researches conducted on this machine to compare its methods of cold storage. Dr. Shaheen pointed out that these studies have demonstrated that kidney stored in the LifePort Kidney Transporter works faster and better than the old way. Dr. Shaheen also stated that The LifePort Kidney Transporter was first used here in KFSH-D, minutes after the transplant, the kidneys started working fine, and the patient is in good health , with all kidney functions intact.

This type of machine preservation (MP) reduces delayed graft function (DGF) when compared with traditional static storage. DGF is a delay in the recovery of renal function requiring use of dialysis in the first week post transplantation. It gives rise to the need for continuing dialysis, the requirement for biopsies, longer hospitalization and is associated with poorer long-term outcome. In addition, it has adverse psychological and medical effects on the patient. DGF can increase the risk of acute and chronic allograft rejection. It occurs in up to 40% of transplantation and the patient will require dialysis treatments post transplant. This kind of preservation that LifePort offers, could make more kidneys available for transplantation and potentially reduce the waiting list by allowing transplant surgeons to use kidneys that might otherwise be discarded , such as those form extended criteria donors . Such donors include deceased donors over age 60 or those over age 50 with health conditions such as high blood pressure , stroke or elevated levels of a protein called creatinine as well as those from non-heart beating donors. LifePort has been installed in transplant programs throughout Europe and North America treating over 12,000 kidneys.

For more details about LifePort Kidney Transporter visit     www.organ-recovery.com
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