Musculoskeletal Department
Overview
Currently, musculoskeletal diseases are considered a hallmark of our era because they are not only common among the elderly but are also increasingly affecting younger people. This group of diseases is one of the leading causes of disability, even death, if not detected early, treated promptly, and appropriately.
To meet the growing demand for musculoskeletal diagnosis and treatment, the Musculoskeletal Department of Ho Chi Minh City University of Medicine and Pharmacy Hospital was established with a team of highly qualified and experienced physicians.
In recent years, the Musculoskeletal Department has continuously developed and become one of the leading musculoskeletal centers in the South and the nation in diagnosing and treating joint diseases in the elderly, metabolic joint diseases, autoimmune joint diseases, and systemic conditions such as lupus, dermatomyositis/polymyositis, scleroderma, vasculitis, ...
Strength
Biologic drugs directly inhibit inflammatory substances, providing effective pain relief, preventing joint destruction, and well controlling disease activity. Currently, most biologic drugs worldwide are available in Vietnam. At the Department of Internal Musculoskeletal Medicine, all top biologic drugs on the Vietnamese market are applied effectively for patients according to recommended protocols. The Department of Internal Musculoskeletal Medicine of the University Medical Center Ho Chi Minh City specializes in diagnosing and treating musculoskeletal diseases such as:
Osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, tendon and muscle disorders.
Metabolic joint diseases such as gouty arthritis and pseudogout.
Autoimmune joint diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis...
Other connective tissue diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus, dermatomyositis, scleroderma, vasculitis...
Perform joint fluid aspiration procedures.
Perform joint injections, tendon injections.
Perform ultrasound‑guided diagnostic and therapeutic procedures.
Perform platelet‑rich plasma therapy.
Measure bone, muscle, and fat density.
Currently, the Department of Internal Musculoskeletal Medicine is intensifying new and specialized techniques such as platelet‑rich plasma injections, shoulder joint prolotherapy, and advising patients on muscle and fat composition using DEXA. With a patient‑centered principle, combining treatment, teaching, and scientific research, the department's team continuously studies, researches, and updates diagnostic and therapeutic methods according to international standards, individualizes treatment for each case, emphasizes multidisciplinary collaboration, multimodal therapy, and international cooperation to achieve comprehensive management and provide the greatest benefit to patients.
Training & Research
Currently, the Department of Internal Musculoskeletal Medicine serves as a specialty training site for senior resident physicians, 18-month practicing physicians, postgraduate doctors (Masters, specialist level 1, specialist level 2) and fifth-year medical students from medical universities.
During its operations, the department regularly organizes scientific meetings to update knowledge on diagnosis and treatment, discuss clinical cases that require learning, and new techniques. In addition, the department runs patient club programs for musculoskeletal diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, gout, ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis, …
In parallel, the department regularly organizes continuous training programs and specialty conferences aiming to update knowledge for healthcare staff, exchange experience among internal musculoskeletal physicians, and collaborate professionally with hospitals and musculoskeletal centers both domestically and internationally. Specifically, some notable activities:
- Collaborating with the experimental center of the University Medical Center Ho Chi Minh City to train the Tendon Injection - Joint Injection class.
- Conducting monthly specialty case conferences with French professors (Hospital de la Concept) specializing in autoimmune musculoskeletal diseases.
Participating and collaborating with domestic and international specialty associations in research, exchange, and cooperation including: Ho Chi Minh City Geriatrics Association, Ho Chi Minh City Rheumatology Association, Ho Chi Minh City Autoimmune Musculoskeletal Disease Association, Vietnam Rheumatology Society, Clinical Immunology Department - Hospital De La Concept, Taipei Veterans General Hospital (Taiwan), Beacon Hospital (Malaysia), International Society for Clinical Densitometry (ISCD).
Equipments
To achieve accurate and highly effective examination results during treatment, in addition to the hospital's modern equipment such as a 3.0 Tesla MRI scanner, high-resolution CT scanner, bone X-ray imaging, ... the Department of Internal Musculoskeletal Medicine focuses on investing in modern equipment including a centrifuge for platelet‑rich plasma therapy, a Hologic bone, muscle, and fat density scanner, a new‑generation ultrasound machine, …
The clinic system is fully equipped with examination tools. The procedure room is used to perform procedures, tests, tendon injections, joint injections, biologic drug injections, and platelet‑rich plasma therapy.
The department's inpatient ward and day‑treatment rooms are equipped with all necessary devices to support patients' recovery at the best possible level, including modern hospital beds with call systems, lights, oxygen, …
Staff
The Department of Internal Musculoskeletal Medicine of the University Medical Center Ho Chi Minh City Hospital brings together a team of doctors who are PhDs, Masters, and specialists with many years of experience in the musculoskeletal field. Every physician in the department continuously studies, researches, and applies advanced diagnostic and treatment methods to each patient in order to optimize the examination and treatment process.
