Third regional conference on knee surgery highlights the distinctive needs of Middle East patients

The two-day educational meeting brought together over 80 surgeons to share the latest developments in the field and to explore new techniques such as Minimal Invasive Surgery (MIS) and new technology including the latest knee joint implants.

The conference was hosted by the Total Joints Replacement Center of Excellence at the American Hospital Dubai, in conjunction with The Zimmer Institute, and the opening session was led by Siegfried Hofmann, MD, Associate Professor at the Stolzalpe clinic in Austria. The conference agenda included presentations and discussion sessions, as well as a live surgical procedure using Minimal Invasive Surgery.

The focus of the meeting was the use of MIS in knee replacement surgery and the specific needs of patients in the Middle East - typically, patients in the region need to be able to pray five times per day and to be able to sit on the ground comfortably, when socializing. For surgeons using knee implants, this demand means that the new joint implant must flex fully to allow the full movement of the leg, and to allow patients to meet their religious and social obligations.

Dr Samih Tarabichi, Director of the Total Joints Replacement Regional Center of Excellence at the American Hospital Dubai, who performed the live surgery, said: 'The conference focused on full flex knee surgery and the Minimal Invasive Surgery procedure, which reduces trauma and pain for the patient, offers quicker recovery and a better aesthetic outcome. The technique is more prominent in Europe and it is not an easy option but we have already performed over 1,200 knee replacement procedures at the American hospital Dubai using MIS.

'We also looked at the latest replacement knee implants - for example, of the 2,000 joint replacement patients we have treated at the American Hospital Dubai, 70 per cent have been women. There is now a new knee joint implant designed specifically for the female patient, which allows a better fit and result,' added Dr Tarabichi.

Michael Humphris, General Manager of Zimmer Limited, which supported the conference, added: 'The Middle East is very advanced in the field of knee replacement surgery, with excellent surgeons and facilities, such as those at the American Hospital Dubai. 25 years ago, patients here would have opted to go to London or Paris for this procedure but the facilities in the region are now first class.

'We have been working on developing new tools for surgeons and patients - the latest is the 'Gender' knee implant which offers female patients a better result and which we introduced to surgeons at the Dubai conference, before we present it to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons in the US, later this month. Not too long ago, a surgeon would have had a limited choice of small, medium and large implants; today, the surgeon has a choice of over 100 implants to meet the specific needs of the patient.'