Hospital da Luz Aveiro has now a unit dedicated to upper limb disorders (hand, wrist, shoulder and elbow) integrating specialists differentiated in the area, besides all the means necessary to a correct diagnosis and efficient treatment. This project involves different clinical fields, such as Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R), Orthopedics, Radiology / Imaging, and Rheumatology. “We are dealing with a pathology that often requires a multidisciplinary response. In consultation, we are frequently faced with patients that benefit from the care of multiple specialties”, states Vítor Vidinha , coordinator of this unit and orthopedist at Hospital da Luz Aveiro, further explaining: “Therefore, we feel that there will be a gain for patients, with an integrated diagnostic and therapeutic response, and with a coordinated and effective communication between all those involved in the treatment. By creating this unit, we aim to optimize the response to the patient with upper limb pathology. ” The multidisciplinary team includes Catarina Ambrósio (rheumatologist), Inês Campos (PM&R), José Bernardes (rheumatologist), Nelson Albuquerque (PM&R), Nuno Sampaio Gomes (orthopedist) and Pedro Belo Oliveira (radiologist), besides the coordinator Vítor Vidinha. The unit offers multiple surgical and non-surgical techniques and treatments, namely: Nerve hydrodissection; Echo-guided infiltrations; Shoulder hydrodistension; Barbotage (platelet-rich plasma); Dry needling; Mesotherapy, shock waves, and diagnostic and therapeutic arthroscopy. Upper limb pathology is quite frequent and has multiple causes – ranging from traumatic or degenerative problems to situations related with systemic rheumatologic diseases. Among them, we can highlight the osteoarthritis of the hand (affecting 13% of men and 26% of women) and the shoulder tendinitis (in 31% men and 43% women). “The emergence of constraints associated with the use of the upper limbs – since they affect essential day to day activities – is in the origin of most medical care sought after. The anatomical characteristics of this part of the human body and the specificity of the associated pathology explain, to some extent, the difficulty in attaining the therapeutic results intended”, declares Vítor Vidinha. Now, “the examination and treatment provided by a team of clinical professionals particularly dedicated to this anatomic area allow us to optimize the diagnosis and treatment”, he concludes. Learn more about this new dedicated area .
