Dubai: Doctors at Dubai Hospital successfully conducted a highly complicated open-heart-surgery on a 29-year-old patient who was admitted with a heart condition that is very rare for such young patients.
The patient was suffering from an impaired cardiac function associated to a giant dilated left ventricle aneurysm generated during recurrent heart attacks.
Dr Faouzi Safadi, Consultant in Cardiothoracic Surgery Department, led the team that included Dr Tarek Abdul Aziz, Consultant in Cardiothoracic Surgery; Dr Yahya Karaly, Acting Consultant in Cardiac Anaesthesia and Dr Mouhannad Al Assad, Specialist in Cardiothoracic Surgery.
The team was supported by anaesthesia technicians and nursing staff and the operation was conducted using highly specialised technology such as heart lung machine.
“This young patient underwent a critical heart reconstruction surgery to repair and reshape the left ventricle that got damaged during a heart attack. Heart attacks in the left ventricle weaken the tissue wall which can form extensive scar tissue and consequently an aneurysm (a balloon-like bulge of a blood vessel) exposing the patient to serious life-threatening complications like rupture of the aneurysm, embolic stroke and irreversible enlarged rounded heart failure,” said Dr Safadi.
Dr Abdul Aziz, added that during the left ventricular reconstruction surgery, the team had to make an incision to remove the damaged areas (thinned and scarred tissue).
“Our purpose is to restore and reshape the geometry of the heart, thus enabling it to be a more efficient pump. To conserve the appropriate elliptical shape ventricular cavity fit with a good heart function and to know how much scar tissue should be removed, a specific oval-shape balloon sizer is inserted and filled into the left ventricle in a way to regain the natural heart configuration.”
Dr Yahya added that the team of anaesthesiologists ensured the patient is smoothly taken off the heart-lung machine and to stabilise the patient so that the surgery can be completed in minimal time ensuring patient safety and minimal drug support. The patient was then transferred to the SICU
Dr Esaaf Ghazi, Surgical Divisions Director in Dubai Hospital, said: “Our hospital has been shouldering the pivotal tasks of providing advanced medical services with the highest technology, medical equipment and highly skilled manpower to deliver better care and treatment to our patients. We are mentoring our new generation of doctors in some innovative technologies, especially the minimally invasive surgery, and will foster collaborative work and partnership projects between DHA and international groups.”
Dr Safadi is a recognised expert in cardiothoracic surgery and has carried out multiple ingenious surgeries and many life-saving-complicated interventions over the past five years in Dubai. He is well versed in aortic dissection, multi-arterial coronary artery bypass, complex valve surgery, and is well-known for his innovative surgical technique in Mitral Valve Repair. He is also conducting international efforts and interactions with pioneer centres in Europe to establish advanced innovative Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery in Dubai Hospital with the collaboration of most distinguished international cardiac surgeons like Professors. Mattia Glauber from Italy and Alaaddine Yilmaz from Belgium.
