American-Pakistani tourist saved after 12-hour surgery in Dubai

A 56-year-old tourist in Dubai had a miraculous escape after an expert team of doctors at Dubai hospital performed a complex cardiac surgery on him.

The surgery, which lasted more than 12 hours, was performed on the American citizen of Pakistani-origin who was in Dubai on holiday with his wife. 

He was rushed to Rashid Hospital’s Trauma Centre after he complained of acute chest pain. Upon diagnosis, it was identified that the patient had a Type A Aortic Dissection, which is a life-threatening condition that needs immediate surgical intervention.

Cardiologists from Rashid Hospital contacted the cardiac surgery team in Dubai Hospital and the team immediately prepared the operation theatre.

Dubai Hospital’s Blood Bank was contacted and sufficient units of blood and blood products were stocked up as this surgery usually causes massive loss of blood.

Once all preparations were in place, the patient was shifted to Dubai Hospital.

A multidisciplinary heart team that included Dr Obaid Al Jasim, Dr Fawzi Al Safadi, and Dr Tarek Abdel Aziz performed the surgery. The team included Dr Nayeer Siddiqy cardiac anaesthetist, as well as nurses, cardiovascular perfusionists and technicians. 

Dr Al Jassim, cardiac surgeon and head of cardiothoracic surgery at Dubai Health Authority, said: “Aortic dissection is a life-threatening condition in which the inner layer of the aorta (the large blood vessel branching off the heart) tears. 

“Blood surges through the tear, causing the inner and middle layers of the aorta to separate (dissect). Therefore, emergency surgery is needed to stop the bleeding, replace the torn blood vessels and ensure the functioning of the heart. With each hour of delay in surgery there is a 5 per cent increase in the mortality [rate].”

Dr Al Jassim added that in this type of an open heart surgery, extensive preparation is needed prior to surgery. “We first put the patient on a heart-lung machine, which is a device used in open heart surgery to support the body during the surgical procedure while the heart is stopped.

“We then lowered the body temperature to 18 degrees to protect the patient’s brain and we did some procedures to ensure the brain receives oxygenated blood during surgery. This patient’s condition was the most complicated aortic dissection we have seen because the dissection extended right up to the arch of the aorta (where the main arteries of the brain arise.)”

He added: “We then began the procedures needed to restore the heart. First the arch was repaired using a tube graft, then the patient’s aortic valve was replaced with a valve tube and then both the tubes were connected together so that the aorta functions optimally. Medical therapy was also administered to the patient to prevent progression or recurrence of aortic dissection.

“It look us close to 12 hours to complete these procedures and control the bleeding. In the last 2 years we have performed 12 aortic dissection surgeries but this was by far the most complicated. Of the 12 cases performed earlier, ten patients were saved. Thus the mortality rate of 16 per cent which is better than the international benchmark of 26 per cent.”

Al Jassim added that post-surgery, the patient was shifted to a surgical ICU because his condition remained critical and he needed round-the-clock monitoring. The patient remained in the ICU for eight days, he was then shifted to the ward and was discharged on Wednesday.

His will revisit the hospital after two weeks to check his post-operative recovery after which he will return home.

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