Prosthetics and Orthotics services at SKMC commence

Notes and media contacts

Brief on SKMC Prosthetics and Orthotics

Prosthetics and Orthotics provides artificial limbs (prostheses) and/or braces (orthoses) to patients of diverse age groups and diagnoses. Prosthetics and Orthotics' patients are referred from a physician for expert treatment of musculoskeletal, neurologic and systematic disorders.

Prosthetists design prostheses (artificial limbs) for patients who have undergone an amputation or present with a congenital anomaly. The prosthesis is custom designed for each individual to fulfill both cosmetic and biomechanic needs.

Orthotists treat individuals who require support for their spine or extremity. Orthoses (braces) are customized or custom designed and fabricated to meet an individual's needs. The orthosis may be needed to reduce pain or to provide support to an extremity that has lost function due to damage to bones, ligaments, nerves or muscles.

• Some of the common custom made items at the Unit: Shoe modifications, Foot orthotics, Ankle-Foot orthotics, Knee orthoses, Knee-Ankle-Foot orthotics, Thoraco-Lumbar-Sacral Orthoses (e.g., Boston braces, Knight-Taylor Orthoses), Lumbar-Sacral orthoses, Wrist-Hand orthoses, Upper Limb orthoses, Lower and Upper Limb prostheses

• Some of the ready made Items: Back braces, Wrist braces, Leg braces, Spinal braces, Breast prostheses

• Some of the Conditions / Diagnoses seen at the Unit: Amputations due to diabetes, vascular disease, trauma, congenital deficiencies and cancer, as well as Cerebral Palsy, Spina Bifida, Hemiplegia, Pes Planus , Pes Plano-valgus, Foot drop, Diabetic Foot, Developmental Dysplastic Hip / CDH, Scoliosis, Leg Length Discrepancies, Polio, Congenital Talipes Equino Varus, Developmental Delay, Post-surgical (e.g., orthopaedic, neurosurgical, plastics, general surgery).

Abu Dhabi Rehabilitation Center

Abu Dhabi Rehabilitation Center (ADRC) is located on Al Karamah Street next to the Surgical and Medical Pavilions of SKMC. The Abu Dhabi Rehabilitation Center was opened under the auspices of her highness Fatima Bint Mubarak (may God protect her) on November 29th, 1993, to meet the community needs of counseling and treatment of people with special needs as well as the elderly. The vision of the Center continues to focus on its principal objective, which is to provide medical, nursing, and rehabilitation care for these groups.

The Abu Dhabi Rehabilitation Center provides the following services:

• Education and Entertaining Activities
• Occupational Therapy
• Physiotherapy
• Psychology Therapy
• Social Services
• Speech Therapy
• Prosthetics and Orthotics

About SKMC

Sheikh Khalifa Medical City (SKMC), located in Abu Dhabi, UAE, operates under the management of Cleveland Clinic, named among the top hospitals in the USA by U.S. News and World Report. SKMC is owned by SEHA, the Abu Dhabi Health Services Company, recently established to oversee operations of all public hospitals in the Emirate. SKMC is the flagship institution for the public health system in Abu Dhabi and has several 'Centers of Excellence,' and aspires to practice contemporary medicine comparable to the best hospitals and medical centers in the world. SKMC provides comprehensive health care services in all of the disciplines relevant to the needs and priorities of the community to attain the highest levels of patient satisfaction.
SKMC consists of a 550-bed Acute Care Hospital and 14 specialized outpatient clinics accredited by the Joint Commission International (JCI). In addition, SKMC manages a 120-bed Behavior Sciences Pavilion, a 90-bed Rehabilitation Center, 9 primary healthcare centers and 2 dental centers distributed over the city of Abu Dhabi.