UAE opens its heart for patients in Egypt

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, has issued directives to establish the “Sheikha Latifa Bint Hamdan Unit for Cardiac Catheterisation Surgery” at the Magdi Yacoub Global Heart Centre in Cairo, Egypt.

The facility will offer free cardiac treatment and catheterisation surgeries to children and economically disadvantaged patients from the Arab world, in addition to providing specialised medical training to doctors and surgeons in the field.

The Unit will be equipped to provide advanced 24/7 treatment services. Equipped with the latest medical technologies including robotic surgical facilities, operation theatres in the Unit will have the capacity to perform 9,000 catheterisation procedures annually.

Expected to be completed in early 2024, the “Sheikha Latifa Bint Hamdan Unit for Cardiac Catheterisation Surgery” is set to train 1,500 surgeons and doctors annually to meet the growing demand for cardiac treatment.

Cardiovascular disease is the main cause of death in the Arab World, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).

As part of the largest charity cardiovascular hospital in the Arab world, the Magdi Yacoub Global Heart Centre in Cairo, Egypt, the Unit will be well placed to serve patients from all over the Arab world.

The facility will bridge the gap for cardiac catheterisation treatment in the region and make it accessible to a wider range of patients, especially children.

By helping train new cardiothoracic and cardiovascular specialists, the facility will also help build healthcare capacities in the Arab world.

Renowned surgeon Professor Sir Magdi Yacoub expressed his gratitude to His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, for the continuous support he has extended to the Magdi Yacoub Global Heart Centre.

He said His Highness has made significant contributions to the development of the Arab region including its healthcare sector.

According to the WHO, cardiovascular disease is responsible for the death of 17.9 million people per year globally. WHO estimates that 54% of deaths from noncommunicable diseases in the region are due to cardiovascular diseases.

Recently, it was reported that Shakhbout Medical City (SSMC) in Abu Dhabi has successfully performed a leadless cardiac pacemaker procedure to treat an Emirati patient.

This case utilised a state-of-the-art technology that was recently approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2022, said a press release issued on Tuesday by SSMC, one of the UAE’s largest hospitals for serious and complex care and a joint-venture partnership between Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (SEHA) and Mayo Clinic.

The newly-launched technique was carefully chosen for the patient, whose primary issue was a life-threateningly slow heart rate. D. Mario Njeim, consultant cardiologist and cardiac electrophysiologist at SSMC, explained why the leadless pacemaker was selected for this case. “I opted for the leadless cardiac pacemaker since our patient suffers from multiple medical problems that could present an increased risk of complications if a conventional cardiac pacemaker were to be used.”

The pacing system corrects the patient’s slow heart rhythm, or bradycardia, by generating electrical pulses that prompt the heart to beat at a normal rate, he noted.

“This particular new type of leadless pacemakers is unique as it can map and analyse the best possible location to implant the pacemaker in the heart prior to having the device fixated in its final position. It offers an improved battery life that can last up to 20 years.

“It also has a unique feature that allows pairing with another leadless device that could be implanted if needed to allow communications between different chambers in the patient’s heart. It can also be retrieved should the therapy require an update or replacement,” the doctor explained.

The device that is FDA-approved was implanted through a minimally invasive procedure that did not require a surgical incision and was instead introduced through a tube inserted into a blood vessel in the groin and attached to the heart.

WAM