New Removable Stent Technology Introduced in Dubai to Treat Severe Below-the-Knee Artery Disease.
The minimally invasive procedure restores blood flow to the foot, supports wound healing and reduces the risk of amputation, without leaving a permanent implant behind.
Dubai(Web Desk):: September 9, 2026: Medcare Hospital Al Safa has introduced SPUR® Retrievable Scaffold Therapy, becoming the first hospital in Dubai to use the innovative technology to treat patients suffering from severely narrowed or blocked arteries below the knee.
The minimally invasive procedure is designed to restore blood flow to the foot, support wound healing and help reduce the risk of limb loss, while avoiding the need for a permanent metal implant.
Severe circulation problems in the arteries below the knee can pose a significant threat to patients, particularly those living with diabetes. When blood flow to the foot is severely restricted, wounds may fail to heal and infections and tissue damage can progress. In advanced cases, this can ultimately result in amputation.
SPUR® offers a new treatment approach for these challenging small vessels. The technology temporarily supports the artery after it has been opened, helping maintain vessel patency during the procedure. Once treatment is completed, the scaffold is completely retrieved, leaving no permanent implant behind.
The “leave-nothing-behind” approach may be particularly beneficial in the small and often heavily diseased arteries below the knee, while also preserving future treatment options should another intervention become necessary.
The technology has particular relevance in the UAE, where diabetes remains an important risk factor for peripheral arterial disease and diabetic foot complications. According to the International Diabetes Federation, age-standardised diabetes prevalence among adults aged 20–79 in the UAE is estimated at approximately 20.7%.
Commenting on the introduction of the technology, Bilal Al Soweissi, COO of Medcare Hospital Al Safa, said that SPUR® therapy provides patients with complex below-the-knee arterial disease with access to an additional advanced treatment option in Dubai.
“This is particularly important for patients with diabetic foot wounds, where timely restoration of blood flow can play a major role in wound healing and limb preservation,” he said.
Dr. Saher Arour, Consultant Vascular Surgeon at Medcare Hospital Al Safa and the first surgeon in Dubai to perform the procedure, explained that restoring circulation can be critical when poor blood flow prevents a foot wound from healing.
“When a foot wound does not heal because of poor circulation, restoring blood flow can make the difference between progressive tissue loss and giving the foot a chance to heal,” Dr. Arour said.
He noted that below-the-knee arteries are small and are frequently affected by severe calcification, particularly among patients with diabetes. While balloon angioplasty can reopen narrowed arteries, some vessels may recoil once the balloon is removed.
“SPUR® provides temporary support to the artery during treatment and is then completely removed. We therefore gain the benefit of temporary scaffolding without leaving a permanent implant behind,” he added.
Medcare Hospital Al Safa’s first patient treated using the technology was a 71-year-old Emirati woman who was suffering from tissue loss caused by severely reduced blood flow to the foot.
Doctors successfully reopened the narrowed below-the-knee artery and performed SPUR® therapy, with the device completely retrieved at the end of the procedure. Follow-up imaging showed improved blood flow to the foot, with no immediate procedural complications reported. The wound subsequently continued to improve, allowing the limb to be preserved.
Dr. Arour stressed that successful limb preservation requires more than a single device or procedure.
“Saving a limb is never about one device or one procedure alone,” he said. “Restoring blood flow is a critical first step, but successful limb salvage also requires wound care, infection control, good diabetes management and close follow-up.”
Medcare Hospital Al Safa said its multidisciplinary approach combines vascular and endovascular treatments with diabetic foot and wound care, with the overall objective of healing wounds, preserving limbs and preventing avoidable amputations.
The introduction of SPUR® Retrievable Scaffold Therapy marks another development in minimally invasive vascular treatment in Dubai, providing selected patients with complex below-the-knee arterial disease with an additional option for limb-salvage care.
