All articles by julian turner
julian turner
Matters of the heart – treating Marfan syndrome
Marfan syndrome is a cardiovascular disease that affects a disproportionately high number of people in the Middle East, but, early in 2016, surgeons presented a new technique that uses the latest technology and can help patients in the early stage of the disease. Kerry Taylor-Smith speaks to Professors John Pepper and Tom Treasure about a new procedure, and whether this pioneering technique could become more commonplace in the region.
Not so fast – diabetes in the Middle East
The holy month of Ramadan is a time of sacrifice and self-restraint. Unfortunately, for those living with diabetes, it can be potentially dangerous. Dr Sarah Ali, locum consultant in endocrinology, diabetes and general medicine at the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust, speaks to Bradford Keen about what practitioners can do to keep their patients safe and help them fulfil their religious commitments.
Live fast, die young – strokes and heart attacks in the young
Middle Eastern youths in their twenties are now suffering strokes and heart attacks, conditions usually only prevalent among those over 50 – a fact that many note with concern. As various life-threatening conditions previously known to occur in middle age strike the younger generation, we speak to Soeren Mattke, from RAND Health Advisory Services, about what can and should be done to better prevent and treat this problem.
Can’t get the staff – medical recruitment in GCC nations
Despite their wealth and growing populations – fuelled in part by the inward migration of affluent expatriates – the nations of the Gulf Cooperation Council lag behind some of their poorer neighbours when it comes to a supply of locally trained medical staff. As healthcare systems expand to meet demand, how will hospitals meet recruitment requirements, and can local talent play a bigger part? Sarah Williams speaks to Choucrallah Karam, managing partner and lead for healthcare and life sciences at Improstrat, to find out more.
Best foot forward – preventing diabetes-related limb loss
Only a few years ago, one in five diabetics in the UAE would eventually lose a limb. But now, healthcare in the area is getting serious about the problem – particularly in terms of foot ulcers. Andrew Putwain explores how the region is getting better at preventing limb loss, and speaks to diabetologist Dr Almoutaz Alkhier Ahmed about how those numbers are being cut.
Imaging on the brain – diagnosing and treating neurodegenerative diseases
A new brain-imaging technique developed by researchers is paving the way for improved diagnosis and treatment of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s. Dr Daniel Stäb, chief developer at the University of Queensland Centre for Advanced Imaging speaks to Medical Imaging Technology about how this could benefit patients.
The enemy within – healthcare-associated infections
Healthcare-associated infections are one of the most pressing patient-safety concerns affecting healthcare facilities today. Elly Earls speaks to Dr Najiba M Abdulrazzaq, head of the infection prevention and control central committee at the Ministry of Health in Dubai, as well as the internal medicine department at Al Baraha Hospital, and pharmacy education and training manager at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi Rania el-Lababidi to find out how hospitals in the UAE are working to combat them.
The frontier of wound care – stem-cell research in the UAE
When it was first announced in June 2016, Dr Saqer al-Mualla’s trial of a new stem-cell therapy to treat chronic wounds was hailed as a significant breakthrough. But cellular experimentation is not the only weapon the plastic surgeon has deployed against chronic wounds. Greg Noone talks to the esteemed plastic surgeon about the challenges involved in pursuing stem-cell research in the UAE, and his latest forays into digital healthcare and extracellular matrices as alternative wound care treatments.
Image problem – early-stage pancreatic cancer prognosis
Because pancreatic cancer is nearly always detected at a late stage, there is a pressing need for better diagnostic techniques. The EndoTOFPET-US project based at CERN has developed an endoscopic PET scanner that could be used to find biomarkers of early-stage pancreatic cancer, thus improving the prognosis. Abi Millar speaks to Dr Paul Lecoq, a physicist at CERN, about what this technology entails and what it means for the future of medical imaging in cancer treatments.
Sound advice – medical imaging regulation
A series of regulatory measures have been launched to cope with the increasingly intense scrutiny to which medical imaging services are being subjected. Nick Dudley, from the British Medical Ultrasound Service, explains to Andrew Putwain how they will ensure that staff are properly trained, as well as guaranteeing the safety of those using the service.