What are stem cells?

The human body contains more than 200 types of mature cells, each of which hasa distinct and specialized function. Whether they are heart muscle cells thatbeat rhythmically or red blood cells that deliver oxygen to all the parts ofthe body, all these specialized “working cells” have a specific role to play.

Stem cells are quite different from our working mature cells, as they not onlyhave an impressive ability to self-renewal but also to replenish new tissuewhen they divide and grow. The discovery of stem cells has been one of the mostexcellent achievements of modern medicine. Stem cells play a fundamental rolein the post-conception development stage of the human body.  Their ability to produce various types of specialized cells makes them unique and powerful for the medical therapy that will follow in the during life.

Cryo- Save, our trusted partner!

On basis of an agreement between the American Hospital and Cryo-Save, theformer provides a specialized service in the field of Obstetrics –Gynecology.

A leading stem cell bank in Europe, Cryo-Save is a seal of guarantee for its “CryoCord”services and offers the highest quality standards in terms of transport,preparation and safety of the stored umbilical cord blood of your child.

Why choose Cryo –Save?

– Very close to you. Founded in 2000 and based in the Netherlands, the company operates in 43 countries across three continents (Europe, Asia and Africa) and it has finally come to Albania.

– Focus on quality. Cryo-Save guarantees the highest quality standards in terms of transport, preparation and safety of the deposited umbilical cord blood of your child.

– Medical expertise. Thanks to a network of dedicated medical experts who support this activity and with the strong belief that umbilical cord blood stemcells will give a significant boost to the treatment of an increasing number of diseases in the near future.

– International accreditation and certification. Cryo-Save with its laboratories has to meet or exceed the applicable legal standards at the national level in this industry which is subject to strong legal regulations.

– Favorable prices. Thanks to an agreement with the American Hospital, you may benefit now from the storage of the umbilical cord blood of your child at highly favorable prices. For more information, you can contact us at the telephone number 042366663 – Gynecology and Obstetrics Department.

Tirana 15 December 2011

In December 2006, THE AMERICAN HOSPITAL opened its doors with an ambitious promise and high responsibility: diagnose and treat Albanian patients with the highest standards of modern medicine.

This wise, well-considered and highly ambitious investment focused initially on the cardiology and cardiac surgery. The American Hospital patients’ carestarted from the heart. The performance for the first time of thecoronarography and revascularization of coronary artery procedures marked oneof the indisputable achievements of the cardiac surgery team. Since 5 years,every type of cardiopathy, including congenital failures of the valve system, the aorta and bypass surgeries, ascending aorta, the carotid and femoral arteries, has been successfully treated by the talented team of Prof. Neyyir Tuncay Eren and his collaborators.

Today, after an intensive work of five years, the American Hospital, located in an area of 17,000 m2, has not only been recognized as the first and most outstanding private health institution, but also as the place where many challenges of the modern medicine have been addressed for the first time.

On the eve of its first anniversary, the American Hospital took the next challenge for the Albanian medicine – the kidney transplant. Currently,the hospital counts a number of 55 successful transplants conducted by our team of surgeons and three hemodialysis centers of 55 beds, being, thus, the only medical facility focused on the treatment of patients with renal insufficiency.

In May 2009, the American Hospitals Group expanded with the Fier American Medical Center and,by February 2010, Durres American Medical Center was established. These two medical facilities that are located in two of the country’s main cities not only serve as reference centers of diagnostics and imagery, but they have also reduced significantly the burden of patients with hemodialysis, who can benefit from this service closer to their places of residence.

The Central Laboratory, which has the widest range of laboratory tests conducted in Albania up to now, is one of the key contributors to the five-year success of this hospital. Counting more than 760 biochemical, microbiologic, immunology, histopathology laboratory test, etc., the American Hospital laboratory is the first and only facility of its kind that has been certified with the highest standard in this field: ISO 15189.

The Ophthalmology Center is another serious investment by the American Hospital that offers to all the patients in the region treatment with laser refractive surgery and addresses problems of the cataract, glaucoma,retina etc. A front runner in all the eye treatments for children and adults, thanks to its professional team, this is the only center that undertakes the cornea transplant in the country.

The Advanced Imagery Center has played a particular role in the diagnostic and research activity of the medical experts of the American Hospital. Thanks to its latest equipment which is unique in Albania and the region and to its 24-hour service, this center enables accurate diagnosis within the shortest time possible, providing particular support to the oncology, surgery and orthopedics teams, etc.

The fruitful collaboration between the medical team of the American Hospitaland Vienna University by November 2009 made a reality of the dream of manychildren with permanent hearing failure. The Cochlear Implant, supportedby the Ministry of Health, has been successfully carried out on dozens ofchildren of different age groups, who have now acquired their hearing abilitiesand are a normal part of society.

At least 650 workers and 24 departments offer their services 24 hours a day in 8 surgery theaters and with 130 beds. A highly active ER service of both Tirana-based hospitals has treated thous and patients in years, who now consider the American Hospital as the right door to knock on for cardiac, pediatric, orthopedic emergencies, and beyond.

The continuous expansion of the American Hospitals Group marked a new milestone with its newest and most ambitious investment of March 2011: the second hospital in Tirana.

The entirely new building raised on an area of 6000 m2 is the biggestinvestment of the shareholders of Bedminster – Allajbeu Group. Certified forits quality management since its first steps, the American Hospital 2 hasfocused its activity mainly on pregnancy and birth, pediatrics, neonatology,gynecologic surgery, orthopedics, urology and plastic surgery. And this is noteverything… One of our strongest achievements and a significant part of the new investment is the Reproductive and In-Vitro Fertilization Center, which has the first and only Andrology-Embryology Laboratory in Albania of these dimensions and with such a modern technological support.

And we do not stop here… After treating thousands of Kosovo patients in distance, time has come to be present in Kosovo with a well-equipped hospital facility that will open doors in the first months of 2012.

Today, after five years, the hospital counts 115,000 registered patients and we try to hear their voice and meet their demands one by one.

The high number of patients, the trust and hope they have placed in our hospital, says a lot about us. It says a lot of the reputation that has beenbuilt in five years of activity by a hard-working team. It says a lot about the expectations we have to live up to everyday in order to justify the trust of those who have chosen us.

Being a leader that sets standards at a national scale and beyond means you have to meet the needs of every and each patient and provide them with the most efficient system and technology that support our professional staff. It also means that we always have to be step ahead and never cease to improve and advance medicine through research and education.

American Hospital staff members continuously work to improve the quality of our care. It is the quality of our staff and the technology of the highest standards that ultimately makes the difference in our care.

Facts and figures of the American Hospital:

115,000 patients

4 hospitals

an investment worth Euro 40 million

24 departments

facilities on an area of 17,000 m2

655 workers in Tirana, Durres, Fier

8300 surgical procedures

130 beds

8 surgery theaters

The team consisting of Prof Dr Wolfgang Gstottner – ORL Clinic, Vienna University, Op. Dr. Dritan Vasili – ORL Surgeon, American Hospital, Prof Dr Pjerin Radovani – ORL Clinic of the University Hospital Center “Nënë Tereza”, Dr. Edlira Beqiri – ORL Doctor, American Hospital, have successfully operated on Manuela Harizi – 4 years old, born without hearing abilities and Roland Dollani – 57 years old, who had lost completely his hearing during the last years.

The two implants, whose costs reach the amount of 70 thousand Euros, are a result of the long work done by the team of the American Hospital in cooperation with the ORL clinic at the QSUT. The surgery of the 4 year old girl, Manuela Harizi, was made possible by the Foundation for Albanian Children with President Mrs. Liri Berisha. A special contribution in realizing this intervention is given by the Austrian Company MED – EL, which donated the implant equipment for both patients.

The cochlear implant, applied in the American Hospital, apart from being the first intervention of this type in the country, is very important even because it is programmed for Albanian speaking persons.

The two operated patients have been visited several hours after the intervention from the Prime Minister Sali Berisha and from his lady Liri Berisha, as well as from the Minister of Health, Petrit Vasili. After visiting the patients and getting information for their condition after the surgery, Prime Minister Berisha expressed his thanks to the hospital team and especially to the Viennese doctor Prof Dr Wolfgang Gstottner, whose work shall change completely the life of both patients suffering for years from complete absence of hearing.

During this visit, the Austrian doctor Wolfgang Gstottner expressed his pleasure that the surgery was ended in full success and in a few weeks the patients will be able to hear again.