Al Wakra Hospital, part of Hamad Medical Corporation’s (HMC) network of community-based hospitals, has announced the establishment of a specialised Urinary Stone Center. The Center, which is the first of its kind in the Middle East, provides patients with the latest developments in the diagnosis and treatment of urinary stones and related urological conditions.

Urinary stones begin to form in the kidney. Depending on where a stone is located, it may be called a kidney stone, ureteral stone, or bladder stone. Each year, thousands of patients across the region are hospitalized for stones in their urinary tract.

Dr Ahmad Shamsodini, Senior Consultant and Chairman of Al Wakra Hospital’s Surgical Divisions said the Urinary Stone Center has been established to provide the highest quality patient care for urologic cases and to meet the needs of patients with urinary stones.

Dr Shamsodini said:

Around 78% of the operations performed by the urology division are because of urinary stones. The establishment of the new clinics will relieve stress on emergency departments as well as health centers. Our new Urinary Stone Center will offer an integrated treatment program for patients. Our team of specially trained clinicians use cutting-edge technology to provide personalized, patient-centered care for men and women with a variety of urological conditions.’

He said that the Center will provide patients with the most advanced techniques in the diagnosis and treatment of urinary stones, including minimally invasive robotic-assisted surgery.

At our new Center, we will introduce robot-assisted urological surgery – an emerging and safe technology that uses a flexible telescope (ureteroscope) to successfully treat a number of urological conditions. A laser is used to fragment stones in the urinary system.’

In addition to providing care for patients with a variety of urological problems, including follow-up treatment, the Center’s staff will also educate patients about the importance of lifestyle modification, specifically related to diet and exercise, as a strategy to prevent future urinary stones.

The new Urinary Stone Center at Al Wakra Hospital will receive patients from 7 am to 7 pm, with three morning clinics and two afternoon clinics. The Center is staffed by 13 doctors specializing in Urology as well as nurses and trained technicians. Patients will be referred from emergency departments, HMC outpatient departments, and PHCC and private hospital clinics. Treatment plans will be determined based on the acuity of a patient’s condition.

The opening of the new Urinary Stone Center will be announced during the Symposium on Urolithiasis held at Al Wakra Hospital on 10 and 11 January. Led by HMC’s Acting Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Abdullah Al Ansari, the event highlighted the latest developments in the urology field and featured keynote addresses from Professor Jean De La Rosette, from the Netherland’s Academic Medical Center, Dr. Guido Giusti from the European Training Center of Endourology in Italy, and Dr. Janak Desai from Samved Hospital, India.