Feeling good about life again, thanks to American Hospital Dubai

A rare and complex stem cell surgery saved Mr Moses Kuria, a Kenyan politician, from bilateral foot amputation, restoring his ability to walk and his zest for life

Mr Moses Kuria, a Kenyan politician, sustained third-degree burns to his feet which destroyed his ability to walk. The Member of Parliament from Gatundu South constituency in Kenya developed an infection of the bone, osteomyelitis, due to the burns. The damage was so severe that he was in danger of bilateral foot amputation. After spending six weeks in a hospital in Kenya, he decided to come to American Hospital Dubai.

"The injuries I suffered were severe, [so] I researched, compared hospitals, and learnt that when it comes to lower limb surgeries, American Hospital Dubai is the best," says Mr Kuria. "It is the preferred place."

American Hospital Dubai is not an unfamiliar place for Mr Kuria. "Sixteen years ago, my son was born here, so I have a long association with it, and the hospital and its record are known to me," he says.

Adj Professor Avelina Mario, Plastic, Reconstructive, Aesthetic Surgeon, Burn Specialist, Trauma, Microsurgeon and Breast Surgeon, Department of Plastic Surgery at American Hospital Dubai, performed an advanced stem cell procedure on Mr Kuria. The technology promotes tissue regeneration in which a three-dimensional cellular structure with the same properties as the target tissue can be formed using multiple components, including stem cell growth and extracellular matrix.

"Through liposuction, we obtain fat tissue to acquire the patient's stem cells and extracellular matrix," she explains. "These are mixed with a medically approved gel that has human skin tissue properties and its mechanical nature to produce a bio-ink which is printed using in vivo to generate a dermal patch graft. These dermal patches are produced with a 3D bioprinter and grafted on the area requiring regeneration."

It is a complex procedure because the soles of the feet are a specialized area and almost impossible to reconstruct for like-to-like skin. "This is a cutting-edge stem cell-based research and technology allowing the use of the patient's tissue for regeneration," says Adj Professor Avelina Mario. "Many labs are researching these modalities, and we have been able to secure this technology for American Hospital Dubai to deliver near scarless tissue healing for our patients."

American Hospital Dubai held an awareness walk to promote the role of stem cell surgery in restoring limb health. Adj Professor Avelina Mario was part of the initiative. Called Keep Fit to Keep Feet, 50 people participated in the 3-km walk held at the Arabian Ranches on Saturday, Feb 12, 2022, to endorse Mr Kuria's message to the community on the advantages of stem cell surgery.

Adj Professor Avelina Mario says that treatment with stem cells combined with burns and wound care expertise is powerful. "American Hospital Dubai enables us to introduce this cutting-edge technology to the UAE healthcare system to improve patient outcomes and help as many patients as possible."

The two-hour surgery accelerated Mr Kuria's healing to a fraction of the usual time. "We achieved a near 50 per cent closure of an extensive wound area in one week and replaced like-for-like skin in terms of quality and biological properties," says Adj Professor Avelina Mario.

The patient "is recovering well. We are observing the regeneration in his tissues, and he will heal in record time," she says.

The stem cell procedure has transformed Mr Kuria's life. "It has been more than 40 days [since the surgery] but seems like a week to me," he says. "It's been a very good experience; very good doctors, very friendly staff, very good care."

Appreciating American Hospital Dubai's commitment to personalized treatment, he says, "The surgeons and doctors made me a part of the treatment process every step of the way, so I felt like I was the doctor too."

The accident had made Mr Kuria unsure about his future. "But now I feel good," he says. "I feel confident and can make plans and decide where I am going. There is more certainty to life. I would like to thank Adj Professor Avelina Mario, her team and all the nurses for getting me to this point."