Surgeons at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi have successfully completed the UAE's first combined heart and double lung transplant, the hospital announced on Tuesday.
The complex operation, which lasted over eight hours, was necessitated by the patient's unique anatomical structure and health conditions. The patient, a 56-year-old Emirati woman, was suffering from pulmonary hypertension, a severe condition characterized by high pressure in the pulmonary artery, impeding the crucial blood flow from the heart to the lungs.
Dr. Usman Ahmad, Chair of Thoracic Surgery at the hospital, reported that the patient has made an exceptional recovery and is now back home with her family, emphasizing the significance of this groundbreaking medical procedure.
"We have assembled multiple teams with extensive experience and expertise to successfully execute this highly complex operation," said Dr. Mitesh Badiwala, a Staff Physician at the Heart, Vascular and Thoracic Institute.
The surgical team, led by Ahmad and Badiwala, utilized a heart-lung bypass machine to remove the patient's diseased organs and replace them with new ones, which began functioning immediately. This surgery contributes to the hospital's impressive tally of over 700 transplants, including 47 lung and 23 heart transplants, according to a statement from the media office.
Dr. Rashed Obaid Alsuwaidi, Executive Director of the Healthcare Workforce Planning Sector at the Department of Health, noted that Abu Dhabi has seen a steady rise in organ transplant procedures, surpassing 800 operations by the end of 2023, significantly enhancing and saving the lives of many patients.
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