Elderly patient receives life-saving heart surgery

Abdel Rahman needed surgery to repair his aortic valve – a procedure which traditionally involved a major, open-heart operation with a significant risk to older patients. Thanks to advanced treatment options available at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, he was able to receive a low risk, minimally invasive treatment to repair the valve.

Abdel Rahman, 85, was suffering from congestive heart failure, a life-threatening condition in which the aorta contracts. This causes the heart to enlarge as it resists pressure in the valve and eventually, the patient suffers a heart attack.

Traditionally, open heart surgery is required to replace the valves and reduce the deadly pressure within the heart. However, in older patients like Abdel Rahman, such major surgery is extremely risky.

Thanks to advances in technology in recent years, the team at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi were able to perform a Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR). By inserting a catheter in the leg, no major chest incisions are needed, and the minimally invasive procedure carries much less risk to older patients. The painless procedure can also be done without a general anesthesia, further reducing the risk.

Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi have now performed over 300 TAVR procedures, with an extremely low risk of complications that are usually associated with traditional open-heart surgeries. Patients don’t require a long stay in hospital and recovery is usually very quick.

Abdel Rahman’s TAVR procedure was a complete success. He was up and about within a few hours and was able to return home the next day. Abdel Rahman says, ‘I have been given a new life and I am thankful to God that this procedure was a success.’