First for UAE: Teen gets life-saving heart treatment without surgery

In a first of its kind medical breakthrough in the UAE, RAK hospital has successfully conducted a life-saving heart treatment without surgery.

Doctors at the RAK hospital conducted a non-surgical balloon dilation procedure on a patient's heart to remove an unnatural overgrowth of tissue - the sub-aortic membrane - that was obstructing the patient's blood flow into the heart, causing immense pain and discomfort for several years.

The innovative procedure, known as percutaneous balloon dilation technology, not only replaces risk-involved surgeries in many cases, but also helps to avoid surgery, the resulting scars, and drastically reduces the recovery window needed by the patient.

The 19-year-old Nigerian patient had been suffering from a congenital heart disease, resulting in recurrent blackouts in the past several years. Despite frequent visits to doctors, he could not find any relief for his health problem, and eventually, tests in his home country revealed severe obstruction in the outflow tract of his heart.

This rare condition impeded the blood from reaching the heart, and ultimately resulted in a shortage of oxygenated blood in the entire body. The patient was referred to RAK Hospital where Dr Ajay Kanojia found a thin sub aortic membrane in his heart positioned a small distance from the aorta. The membrane was punctured with a few holes that allowed a small amount of blood to pass through.

"The entire procedure took about 40 to 45 minutes. After initial bed rest, the patient completely recovered," said Dr Ajay Kanojia, who along with cardiac expert Dr Sitaram RadhaKrishnan had conducted the operation.

"The case also drives home the point that heart screening for children should be made compulsory to avoid more complications with congenital heart defects. The patient had suffered for years because his case wasn't diagnosed properly, and it could have led to further severe issues, had he not had the procedure."

The non-surgical procedure is similar to balloon angioplasty, where an empty, collapsed balloon is passed over a wire into the membrane and then inflated to a bigger size, putting pressure on the membrane forcing it to widen its holes, allowing blood to pass through comfortably into the heart.

Patients suffering from subaortic membrane experience shortness of breath, fatigue, recurrent blackouts, swelling in legs and face difficulty lying on their back. Generally the condition stems from congenital heart disease and worsens over the years, leading to enlargement of the heart, and ultimately, heart failure.

Earlier, surgery was the only procedure to excise the subaortic membrane, but now percutaneous or non-surgical method is fast gaining popularity.

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