Aster Hospital Al Qusais performs 501 cardiothoracic procedures in 20 months in UAE

UAE—Aster Hospital, Al Qusais, has performed 501 cardiothoracic procedures over 20 months, from November 2024 to July 2026, including complex and emergency cases.

The hospital reported zero mortality among patients undergoing elective surgery during the period.

The procedures included 352 cardiac surgeries, 14 aortic procedures, 90 thoracic surgeries, seven endovascular aortic aneurysm repairs (EVAR), and 38 other procedures.

The milestone comes as cardiovascular disease continues to contribute significantly to mortality in the UAE.

According to Zurich International Life claims data from 2023 to 2025, heart attacks and strokes accounted for 41% of death claims.

Beating Heart CABG Programme

A key component of the programme is its beating heart coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) service.

The hospital said all CABG procedures were performed without stopping the heart, while 47.08% involved total arterial bypass.

The surgical team uses several arterial graft configurations, including I, Y, T, Lambda and K grafts, and has performed coronary endarterectomies for patients with diffuse coronary artery disease.

Nearly one third of CABG patients had critical left main coronary artery disease.

Dr Sherbaz Bichu, CEO of Aster Hospital & Clinics, UAE, Oman, and Bahrain, attributed the outcomes to coordinated work among surgeons, anaesthetists, intensivists, nurses, and other clinical staff.

Dr Sandeep Srivastava, Consultant Cardiothoracic Surgeon at Aster Hospital, Al Qusais, said the programme’s experience in beating heart CABG, total arterial bypass and complex coronary and aortic procedures supports the hospital’s approach to tailoring surgical treatment to individual patients.

Complex Cardiac and Thoracic Surgery

The team has treated complications of acute myocardial infarction, including ventricular septal rupture, cardiac free wall rupture, papillary muscle rupture, acute mitral regurgitation with pulmonary oedema and acute aortic regurgitation.

It has also performed valve repairs in advanced rheumatic mitral valve disease.

One complex case involved acute aortic dissection requiring repair of three heart valves and aortic root replacement.

Dr Shipra Srivastava, Consultant Cardiothoracic Surgeon, said the programme also focuses on preserving patients’ native heart valves where clinically appropriate, particularly in rheumatic valve disease, to reduce the need for long-term anticoagulation associated with mechanical valve replacement.

The hospital’s minimally invasive cardiac surgery programme operates alongside its thoracic surgery service.

Its elective CABG cohort recorded zero mortality and zero stroke, while 87.08% of patients spent three days or less in intensive care.

The mean age was 53.3 years, ranging from 32 to 82 years. Among patients undergoing total arterial CABG, 75.22% were discharged without blood transfusion.

Next Phase of Cardiac Services

Aster Hospital, Al Qusais plans to expand its cardiac services with robotic-assisted surgery, structural heart and transcatheter valve interventions, and heart transplantation, and left ventricular assist device (LVAD) programmes.

The hospital is also planning to use hybrid operating theatres, 3D-printed anatomical models for complex cases, and artificial intelligence-based risk prediction tools to support surgical planning.

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