Establishment of the First Comprehensive Adult and Pediatric Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant Unit in the United Arab Emirates: Rising to the Challenge.

Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is increasingly indicated for various malignant and non-malignant diseases. In the United Arab Emirates (UAE), patients that could benefit from the procedure commonly need to seek medical care abroad in view of the lack of a comprehensive HSCT facility that could offer the full spectrum of interventions and monitoring protocols. This comes with considerable challenges related to coverage and logistics of travel. It also limits the continuity of clinical care, and presents inconvenience to patients who come from a different cultural background. In this article, we share our experiences and lessons learned during the establishment of the first comprehensive adult and pediatric HSCT unit in the UAE that is designed to cater for local citizens and residents, as well as neighboring countries facing similar availability challenges.

Retroperitoneal angioleiomyomatosis.

Retroperitoneal intravenous leiomyomatosis is a rare benign tumor that can spread through veins carrying significant morbidity. The challenge of its management lies within the complexity of completely excising the tumor, which if carried out improperly can result in neurological or vascular complications requiring complex reparative surgeries. Here we present the successful resection of a retroperitoneal angio-leiomyoma by combining laparoscopic route, micro-surgical techniques and modern endoscopic tools.