Today's Edition
SARA ALZAABI (ABU DHABI)
Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, affiliated with the M42 group, on Tuesday highlighted its pioneering medical and technological progress during a media roundtable and tour at its Neurological Institute.
As Abu Dhabi’s official Centre of Excellence for Stroke, the Neurological Institute, as designated by the Department of Health, presented AI technologies and new treatments for various neurological conditions, including epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, stroke, and other health conditions.
The roundtable discussion is led by Dr. Florian Roser, Chair of the Neurological Institute, with the participation of Dr. Mohamad Ayman Haykal, Dr. Eugene Achi, Dr. Nader Hebela, Dr. Victoria Ann Mifsud, and all staff physicians at the institute.
Following the discussion, attendees toured the facility, incorporating the Epilepsy Monitoring Unit (EMU), and witnessed a demonstration of Stroke Alert Journey.
The Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi’s Neurological Institute offers a wide range of specialty programmes and services, which include the Brain Health Programme, Epilepsy Programme, Headache Programme, Multiple Sclerosis Programme, Neuromuscular and Electrophysiology Programme, Neuro-Oncology Programme, Neuro-Rehabilitation Programme, and Neurovascular Medicine Programme & Stroke Centre.
The institute provides comprehensive care through the Parkinson’s Disease and Research Centre, Sleep Disorders Programme, Spine Care Programme, Interventional Pain Management Centre, Neuro Hospital Medicine Programme, Psychology and Psychiatry Programme, Cranial Neurosurgery Programme, and Neuro Interventional Radiology Programme.
The institute carried out 661 neurosurgeries and served 32,588 outpatients in the first half of 2024.
Since the programme began, there have been 285 stroke surgeries and 76 deep brain stimulation (DBS) surgeries.
Distinguished by its innovative approach, the institute was the first in the UAE to carry out stereotactic encephalography (SEEG) and DBS surgery for epilepsy, as well as the first in the region to employ the ARTIS Icono system for advanced stroke care.
Additional innovations include the ELEMENTS software for precise tumour extraction, the LOOP-X-O-Arm for real-time CT scans, the CIRQ-Robot for accurate electrode implantation, AIRASCORE AI for advanced dementia imaging, as well as the VARGIO GUIDE biopsy set.
The institute leads in several areas, involving auditory brainstem implant surgery (ABI) in the GCC, biological marker testing for dementia, neuro-interventional complex vessel reconstruction, awake surgery for epilepsy, and robotic radiosurgery (Gamma Knife) for brain tumours.
Recognised by MENASO and ASA as a Comprehensive Stroke Center, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi is also celebrated for its outstanding multidisciplinary approach to skull base surgeries.
During the tour, centring on epilepsy, Dr. Mohamad Ayman Haykal, Staff Physician at the Neurological Institute, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, told Aletihad about the challenges facing the patients.
“About two-thirds of epilepsy patients achieve seizure freedom with medication. However, for the remaining one-third, seizures persist despite trying multiple medications. In such cases, surgical treatment might be necessary,” Dr. Haykal said.
Elaborating on their distinctive treatments, Dr. Haykal said: “For patients who do not respond to medications, known as having drug-resistant epilepsy, surgery can be a viable option. The process begins with extensive testing to locate the seizure focus in the brain. This includes video EEG monitoring in an epilepsy monitoring unit, advanced MRI imaging, and, at times, nuclear medicine imaging such as PET and SPECT scans. A neuropsychological evaluation is also crucial to assess memory and cognitive functions.”
He added that the process involves identifying potential seizure sources through tests and surgery.
In case the imaging does not reveal abnormalities, electrodes are implanted in the brain to pinpoint the source.
The first successful SEEG implantation is now providing an advanced treatment option for epilepsy patients, he said.
