First Knee-Replacement of its Kind in the Middle East Performed at Healthpoint

Dr Rashed Al Shaeel

Mohamed Al Balooki, an Abu Dhabi resident, can lead a full, active life again thanks to a titanium-coated knee-replacement joint that offers increased flexibility and stability. This is the first time this type of prosthesis has been used in the Middle East, with the community surgeon performing the operation at Mubadala Healthcare provider Healthpoint.

Dr. Rashed Al Shaeel, a Consultant sport and reconstruction arthroplasty surgeon, who performed the pioneering procedure, is one of the many talented community doctors who make use of Healthpoint’s advanced facilities and medical team to support them in performing operations they wouldn’t otherwise be able to do at their practices, ensuring their patients have the best experience possible.

Dr. Mai Ahmed Sultan Al Jaber

Healthpoint Medical Director Dr. Mai Ahmed Al Jaber says: “Mubadala Healthcare and Healthpoint are committed to bringing world-class care to the UAE to alleviate the need for citizens and residents to travel for treatment. While the prosthesis design has been around for almost 20 years, this type of knee implant was available only in North America, so by opening our operating facilities to innovative community physicians, we were able to facilitate the treatment here.”

Dr. Al Shaeel says: “This type of knee prosthesis was previously only available in the US and Canada, so I am very excited to be the first surgeon to use it in the Middle East. It makes a great difference in patients’ lives, by allowing the more active members of the community to maintain the lifestyle they had prior to the degeneration of their knee joints.”

He adds: “Whereas previous prosthetic knee designs allowed either good stability but with limited motion, or good motion with poor stability; this new pivot-medial knee replacement allows both,  excellent range of movement and complete stability within a shorter period of time from the surgery date than a traditional knee implant.” 

The knee prosthesis features a titanium niobium nitride coating, which creates a barrier against the potential release of metal ions common in cobalt chrome implants. This is particularly important in patients with metal sensitivity, according to Dr. Al Shaeel. 

Due to its pivot design, it overcomes the limitations of traditional implants by delivering improved anatomic motion, flexion stability, and wear-limiting design characteristics. 

The procedure was successfully performed at the end of December and the patient could return home after just few days. Speaking from his home, Mohamed Al Balooki, who is in his 50s, says, “I was initially resigned to the fact that I would have limited movement for the rest of my life. However, I am now able to enjoy all of the activities I used to, and it feels really natural; I can’t tell the difference between my old knee when it was healthy, and this one. 

“I am deeply grateful to Dr Al Shaeel and the entire medical team at Healthpoint. They monitored me every step of the way making sure my road to recovery goes as smooth as possible.” 

Dr. Al Shaeel adds, “The knee has been shown to have good longevity, with proven survivorship of up to 20 years.” 

Healthpoint’s community physicians have out-patient centers, and partner with the premium hospital to make use of its operating theatres, day use wards and inpatient facilities. This allows community physicians to expand the services they are able to offer and for the patient to be in the very safest of hands.  

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