Definition:

Patient Services:

• The Rheumatology Clinic focuses on providing quality care and ongoing treatment services to patients with rheumatologic disorders.

• Diagnosing and treating patients with different musculoskeletal complaints. This includes thorough clinical evaluation and laboratory work out.

• Instituting the appropriate treatment as early as possible.

• Monitoring the progression of different rheumatological diseases using appropriate international standards of assessing disease outcomes for different rheumatological disorders, such as (DAS 28, SLEDAI, SLICC, ect).

• Admitting patients for in hospital cytotoxic therapy (cyclophosphamide), prostaglandin E2, and anti-TNF therapy (infliximab).

• Monitoring treatment

- Monitoring the efficacy of treatment.

- Possible side effects of treatment.

• We use internationally recommended tools for assessing disease activity for different rheumatological disorders such as e.g.: DAS 28 in case of RA, SLEDAI in case of SLE.

• We look after patients with metabolic bone disease.

• We also perform several procedures in our unit such as :

1.     Skin biopsy

2.     Liver biopsy

3.     Joint aspiration therapeutic and diagnostic

4.     Intra-articular joint aspiration and injection.

5.     Ascetic fluid aspiration for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes.

6.     Pleural fluid aspiration therapeutic and diagnostic.

7.     Lumbar puncture.

Who sees a Rheumatologist?

Diseases diagnosed or managed by the rheumatologist include:
 

Diagnosis:

Apart from an extensive medical history and physical examination, a rheumatologist may apply the following diagnostic methods:
• Laboratory tests (e.g. erythrocyte sedimentation rate, rheumatoid factor)
• X-rays of affected joints and other imaging methods
• Cytology and chemical pathology of fluid aspirated from affected joints (e.g. to differentiate between septic arthritis and gout)
Treatment:
• The unit is specialized unit in diagnosing and treating rheumatological disorders on highest international standard and utmost care, and we do so through:
• Gathering history data and performing thorough locomotor examination.
• Interpretation of different radiological investigations of musculoskeletal system.
• Perform different serological tests for connective tissue disease when it is indicated.
• We offer our patients symptomatic treatments, as well as immunosuppressive therapy when is indicated.
• We apply Rheumatology Unit guidelines, which are based on the current available evidence in the literature. These guidelines are updated regularly

Location of Service:
Ground floor…………