In a dangerous surgery, doctors replaced and repaired severely damaged valves. Earlier this month, Dr. Rafiq Abu Samra and his team at Dr. Sulaiman Al Habib Hospital succeeded in performing heart valve surgery that saved the life of a 38-year-old British patient suffering from a congenital heart defect.
Lorna Gore was born with tetralogy of Fallot, a birth defect that was corrected more than 34 years ago with pediatric surgery in Britain. However, the patient later developed complications in the form of shortness of breath, chest pain, and fatigue.
In this context, Dr. Abu Samra, a consultant cardiothoracic surgeon at Dr. Sulaiman Al Habib Hospital in Dubai, said: “The patient underwent a wide range of heart x-rays in Dubai and the United Kingdom, which revealed that two valves on the right side of the heart are not working as they should.”
He added: “The doctors who previously treated her disagreed about the appropriate treatment methodology for her condition, which made it difficult for her to decide on her next course of treatment. One of the surgeons in Britain was not enthusiastic about the idea of her undergoing surgery due to the complexity of her condition.”
When Lorna consulted Dr. Albert Al-Ahmar, an interventional cardiology consultant and one of Dr. Samra’s colleagues at Dr. Sulaiman Al-Habib Hospital, he immediately subjected her to a series of medical tests to determine the precise anatomical and physiological picture of her right heart valves.
Dr. Al-Ahmar told Gulf News: “After reviewing the results of the tests, the cardiology team at the hospital agreed to replace and repair the damaged valves.”
Dr. Abu Samra, who led the team that performed this complex surgery, says: “Tetralogy of Fallot is a birth defect that affects the normal flow of blood through the heart. It occurs when the fetus’s heart does not form properly while it is in its mother’s womb. In Lorna’s case, what we performed was a reconstructive surgery.” “Heart, and this type of surgery is often accompanied by a high risk of death.”
The patient chose to undergo surgery in Dubai rather than in her country, due to the advanced technology and treatments available at Dr. Sulaiman Al Habib Hospital. This, in turn, will lead to an increase in medical tourism to Dubai.
Dr. Abu Samra says: “We opened the patient’s chest a second time to repair the valves, and this reopening is extremely difficult due to adhesions resulting from the previous surgery. The chest opening alone took approximately three hours.” He added: “The patient also suffered from pulmonary hypertension, which increased the risk of surgery. Despite all the existing challenges, we were able to perform the surgery successfully, replacing the pulmonary valve and repairing the tricuspid valve.”
The patient made an excellent recovery after surgery and went home within a week. Dr. Abu Samra, who has long experience in performing serious heart surgeries, says: “We expect her to return to her usual activities within weeks.”
Dr. Sulaiman Al Habib Hospital in Dubai provides comprehensive treatment and care for all heart diseases.
In this context, Dr. Abu Samra says: “We have a team with great experience that can help patients and prepare them for any type of surgery. The hospital is also proud to have an intensive care unit equipped with highly advanced equipment that plays an important role in caring for patients after they undergo surgical operations. And the cardiology team He is constantly ready to provide support to patients in problems related to their health; his role is not limited to this, but he also deals with their psychological concerns, achieving high rates of patient satisfaction.”
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