Rheumatology is a clinical branch of internal medicine that studies etiology, diagnostics, treatment and prevention of rheumatic diseases. The latter include diseases that primarily affect joints, systemic connective tissue diseases, systemic vasculitis, and autoimmune pathologies.

During their lifetime, 10% of people will have a rheumatological disease, so rheumatology is an important branch of medicine that is actively developing today. Unfortunately, such pathologies often become the cause of disability and permanent loss of ability to work.

Rheumatology Department of Tel Aviv Medical Clinic employs only the best specialists in this field, who have excellent theoretical training and valuable (sometimes unique) practical experience. Most doctors are honorary members of world rheumatology associations and actively participate in research and teaching activities.

Specialists of Rheumatology Department have modern diagnostic and treatment equipment, an innovative immunological laboratory, several highly qualified syrgical teams and orthopedic surgeons of the highest category. Therefore, our patients can receive all the necessary care within the walls of one medical institution, from initial diagnostic stage to specific immunological therapy, modern surgery and full rehabilitation.

Rheumatologists work closely with specialists from other medical fields – orthopedists, surgeons, neurologists, pulmonologists, ophthalmologists, dermatologists, and physical therapists. Since the pathological process of systemic connective tissue disease involves not only joints, but also internal organs, skin, and eyes, such a multidisciplinary approach to each individual clinical case makes it possible to create a comprehensive and complex treatment and rehabilitation program for patient individually, which significantly improves prognosis and long-term treatment results.

Male doctor hold in arm silver pen and look at xray photography closeup. Skeleton bone disease exam medic aid or cancer physical test in hospital for healthy lifestyle education career concept

Depertments

Rheumatology Department of TAMC employs rheumatologists who deal with all types of conservative treatment of rheumatic diseases, but each of them specializes in a specific disease or group of diseases, which made it possible to create several highly specialized clinics on the basis of department:

Clinic for the study, diagnostics and treatment of rheumatism (acute rheumatic fever and acquired rheumatic heart defects).
Department of joint pathology (arthritis and arthrosis) – specialists of this profile are engaged in treatment and diagnostics of articular rheumatological diseases (rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, gouty and psoriatic arthritis, reactive forms of arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis).
Department of systemic vasculitis – rheumatologists of this profile are engaged in diagnostics and treatment of systemic vasculitis (diseases with localization of inflammation in the walls of blood vessels) – hemorrhagic vasculitis, Goodpasture’s syndrome, Raynaud’s disease, Takayasu’s syndrome, temporal arteritis, thromboangiitis obliterans, periarteritis nodosa, etc.

Clinic of systemic connective tissue diseases. These are the most severe rheumatic diseases that occur not only with damage to joints, ligaments and blood vessels, but also with the involvement of many internal organs in pathological process, therefore, such patients are treated by a multidisciplinary team of doctors led by rheumatologists. Most often, specialists provide assistance to patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, systemic scleroderma, dermatomyositis, Sjögren’s syndrome, Behcet’s syndrome, Sharp’s syndrome, antiphospholipid syndrome.

What diseases does Rheumatology Department treat?

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Diagnostic methods in rheumatology

The difficulty of rheumatic diseases diagnosing, first of all, lies in the fact that the first signs of this pathology are nonspecific (general weakness, increased fatigue, pain in joints and muscles). When specific symptoms appear, such as joint deformity, the disease is already in an advanced stage of development and patient has complications.

Diagnostics in Rheumatology Department of TAMC takes place in 3 stages and takes up to 5 working days. At the first stage, patient is consulted by one of the leading rheumatologists. At this initial consultation, doctor collects complaints, systematizes them, studies the medical history and life history, examines the patient, and reviews all the medical documentation that person brought with him. Next, we formulate a preliminary diagnosis and make up a plan for further examination in TAMC diagnostic department.

At the second stage (diagnostic), patient undergoes all laboratory tests and instrumental procedures prescribed by specialist. The duration of examination is 1-3 days. All this time, person is accompanied by an employee of medical tourism department and an interpreter. If any painful procedure is prescribed, it is performed under anesthesia to minimize all discomfort.

At stage 3, patient is consulted again by a rheumatologist. After studying the diagnostic data, doctor makes a final and detailed diagnosis, discusses all treatment options with the patient and makes up an individual treatment plan, and, if necessary, rehabilitation.

Important!

In Israel, the activities of rheumatologists are aimed specifically at early diagnosis, so far there are no consequences for the body.

The active introduction of modern diagnostic tests into practice, high-quality medical equipment and the high qualifications of Israeli rheumatologists help to successfully cope with this task.

This is the only way to stop rheumatological pathology progression, avoid complications and preserve patient’s ability to work.

Among the most common diagnostic tests in rheumatology are:

Various blood tests, including determination of specific immunological markers of rheumatic diseases (rheumatic tests, for example, antinuclear autoantibodies, ANA screen, antineutrophil autoantibodies, ANCA screen, autoantibodies to phospholipids, IgG/IgM, rheumatoid factor, RF, anti-CCP, anti -cyclic citrullinated peptide, etc.).
Various tests of urine and other biological fluids, for example, cytological or immunological analysis of synovial fluid from the cavity of an inflamed joint.
Biopsy of synovial membrane, skin, blood vessels, muscles, followed by pathohistological examination to verify an accurate diagnosis. Tissue samples are sent only to the best Israeli pathological laboratories. Thanks to such checks, our rheumatologists are confident in correct diagnosis and appropriate treatment.
Methods of modern medical imaging – CT, MRI, PET-CT, MSCT, ultrasound, digital radiography, osteoscintigraphy, densitometry, etc.

Modern medical imaging methods will help a specialist to detect inflammatory processes in joints and ligaments, determine their nature and distribution, the presence of damage to internal organs or other pathologies of bones or joints. TAMC has a modern diagnostic department, which has all the necessary expert-class equipment.

Modern treatment methods in rheumatology

Israeli rheumatologists approach treatment of rheumatic disease in a comprehensive manner. In parallel with modern drug therapy, specialist prescribes physiotherapeutic treatment, diet therapy, physical therapy, and kinesiotherapy. Also, for some patients, minimally invasive surgical interventions are considered, and, if necessary, more extensive surgeries, if this is necessary to restore the health and performance of a sick person, for example, arthroscopic surgeries to remove osteophytes from joint cavity, endoprosthetics of damaged joints, when reconstructive interventions are no longer effective.

Treatment advantages in Rheumatology Department of TAMC:

Highly qualified, world-famous rheumatologists who actively apply in practice not only generally accepted, but also innovative treatment methods.
TAMC clinic is equipped only with modern expert-class equipment, which is not only effective for diagnostic and treatment process, but also safe for patient.
Comfortable conditions for staying in the department, rooms are equipped with everything necessary, all medical staff are qualified and caring.
Payment for treatment by all available methods upon receipt of medical or diagnostic procedures.
Fast and high-quality diagnostics.
Providing support from medical tourism department staff and interpreter services.

Multidisciplinary individual approach to each individual clinical case.

The main treatment method for rheumatic diseases is drug therapy. Specialists widely use various classes of medications, including analgesics, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and glucocorticosteroids. These medications can effectively eliminate disease symptoms, which significantly improves the quality of life of sick person, but they do not affect the course of pathology and do not stop its progression.

On contrary, disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARD) can slow or stop disease progression. This is a modern group of drugs that are currently being actively developed and introduced into clinical practice. Patients of TAMC Rheumatology Department are among the first to have the opportunity to try such drugs effectiveness on themselves. As a rule, the group of DMARD drugs includes drugs with immunobiological effects, for example, monoclonal antibodies.

An example of a modern biological drug from the group of disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) is baricitinib (Olumiant). This medicine is used to treat rheumatoid arthritis in adults whose disease is not controlled with standard RA medications. By mechanism of action, bariticinib is a Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor, blocking the JAK1 and JAK2 subtypes. Clinical studies have shown that 55% of patients with rheumatoid arthritis who receive biriticinib therapy for 12 weeks report significant improvement and complete cessation of pain.

Among the monoclonal antibody drugs, the following are actively used: infliximab (Remicade), adalimumab (Humira), rituximab (MabThera), golimumab (Simponi), belimumab (Benlysta). Clinical trials have shown their high effectiveness and safety for patient. These drugs block special substances – inflammatory mediators that support inflammatory process in rheumatic diseases. Biological drugs are given by injection every 2-4 weeks. Their action begins a few days after the first administration.

Asian doctor inject Hyaluronic acid platelet rich plasma into the knee of senior woman to walk without pain.

Stem cell treatments are in development. Patient is injected with stem cells modified in a certain way, which makes it possible to effectively treat autoimmune diseases, since this normalizes the function of immune cells and they stop producing autoantibodies to their own tissues.

For rheumatic diseases affecting joints, patient may be offered 2 types of surgical interventions:

Reconstructive – this is reconstruction of a damaged joint, performed mainly using minimally invasive techniques (arthroscopy). An example of reconstructive surgery for arthrosis and arthritis is arthroscopy to remove bone or cartilage fragments from the articulation cavity and remove osteophytes.
Joint endoprosthetics – replacement of a joint when it is significantly damaged, when reconstructive surgeries are ineffective. At TAMC, this type of surgery is performed only by experienced orthopedic surgeons. Many patients report a significant improvement in their general condition and a complete absence of pain after hip or knee replacement.

Surgical treatment is always considered a last resort for rheumatic diseases. However, it saves many patients from constant pain and returns the ability to move normally and live a quality life.

If you have been diagnosed with a rheumatic disease and you do not want to accept your fate and regain your former health, seek professional help from specialists of Rheumatology Department of Tel Aviv Medical Clinic. The Medical Tourism Department will help to organize a consultation and, if necessary, treatment.