UAE: Man with chronic pain gets new lease on life with implant that blocks pain signals

Abu Dhabi - Since undergoing the procedure, Abdulla El Hashdy has experienced an 80 per cent reduction in his pain

There was a time when Abdulla El Hashdy felt disconnected from the world. Medications, diabetes and pain dominated his life.

But now, the 29-year-old Emirati is rejoicing after doctors at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi used an innovative surgical implant to block pain signals and bring him relief.

For more than a decade, Abdulla, who works as a financial analyst in Abu Dhabi, had been battling debilitating chronic pain. His pain was caused by a combination of three different medical conditions.

Diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in 2010, Abdulla has metabolic myopathy and myalgia paresthetica.

These conditions combined to cause nerve pain in his upper and lower limbs alongside muscle ache and a burning sensation. Despite going to several doctors in the UAE and US, he continued to experience severe pain as well as a range of side effects from his medications.

“My life was being eaten up by medications, diabetes and pain. I started to feel that my illness was in total control of my life. I couldn’t plan any activities because of the pain and my medications didn’t ease it for free — I had to pay a very heavy price. They clouded my mind and made me feel disconnected from the world,” Abdulla said.

He visited Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi after learning about the hospital’s dedicated pain clinic.

Dr Reda Tolba, department chair of pain management, said: “When Abdulla first came to us, it was clear he was really suffering. He was facing a ‘perfect storm’ of conditions that combined to cause unbearable pain. His medications weren’t working effectively and the side effects were taking a real toll. We tried a variety of approaches before settling on an innovative new form of spinal cord stimulation.”

Differential target multiplexed spinal cord stimulation is an advanced form of spinal cord stimulation that can block persistent pain signals.

The device, implanted under the patient’s skin near the spine, uses electrodes to activate both neurons in the spinal cord and glial cells to retrain the body to block persistent pain signals.

Since undergoing the procedure and having the device adjusted to his individual needs, Abdulla has experienced an 80 per cent reduction in his pain.