UAE—Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, a member of the M42 group, has made history by successfully performing the first-ever combined heart and double lung transplant in the UAE.
The pioneering surgery involved a 56-year-old Emirati woman who had been battling pulmonary hypertension, a severe condition caused by elevated pressure within the pulmonary artery.
This condition disrupts the critical blood flow between the heart and the lungs, posing significant health risks.
The hospital reached this milestone with the backing of the Department of Health—Abu Dhabi, highlighting the UAE’s growing reputation as a leading destination for top-tier healthcare.
Since the launch of Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi in 2017, the hospital has performed over 700 transplants, including 47 lung and 23 heart transplants.
The recent procedure cements the facility’s status as the UAE’s premier multi-organ transplant center.
The patient’s complex medical history began in 2004 when she was diagnosed with an atrial septal defect (ASD), a congenital heart abnormality, while in the U.S.
Over time, the untreated defect led to pulmonary hypertension, severely affecting her heart.
After undergoing numerous treatments across several global hospitals, she was referred to Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi in March 2022 in a critical state, having lost more than 30 kilograms.
Dr. Fadi Hamed, a consultant pulmonologist and medical director of the lung transplant program, shared that the patient’s response to conventional treatments was poor, prompting a more aggressive approach.
Consequently, a multidisciplinary team was assembled to determine the best course of action.
The team’s extensive evaluation concluded that the patient needed not just a lung transplant but also a heart transplant due to the severe enlargement of her heart.
Dr. Mitesh V. Badiwala, a cardiothoracic surgeon, explained that while pulmonary hypertension is usually managed with a lung transplant, the patient’s petite frame and severely enlarged heart necessitated a combined heart and double lung transplant.
By February 2024, the patient’s condition had worsened to the point where medications were no longer effective.
She suffered from severe breathing difficulties, excessive fluid retention, and persistently high pulmonary pressure.
With survival expected to be only a few months without surgical intervention, she was admitted to the ICU.
Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi’s multidisciplinary team closely monitored her condition, managing heart pressure while waiting for suitable donor organs.
The combined heart and double lung transplant were meticulously planned, involving specialists from cardiology, pulmonology, cardiac surgery, and thoracic surgery.
Dr Usman Ahmad, Chair of Thoracic Surgery, emphasized the urgency of finding a suitable organ match, as the patient was at the end stage of heart and lung failure.
He highlighted the unique advantages of the UAE’s transplant program, including short wait times and the availability of appropriately matched organs, which are crucial for successful outcomes.
Due to the intricacies of the patient’s anatomy, the complex surgery, carried out by a team of four cardiothoracic surgeons, two anesthesiologists, five specialized nurses, and two perfusion experts, lasted over eight hours.
Under the leadership of Dr. Ahmad and Dr. Badiwala, the medical team successfully removed the diseased organs and replaced them with healthy ones, which immediately began functioning.
Dr. Rashed Obaid Alsuwaidi, Executive Director of the Healthcare Workforce Planning Sector at the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi, noted that the recent accomplishment reflects Abu Dhabi’s enhanced capabilities in organ transplantation.
He attributed this success to the region’s sophisticated healthcare infrastructure and highly skilled professionals.
Since the launch of the HYATT program in 2017, Abu Dhabi has conducted over 800 organ transplants, saving and improving countless lives.
Following the transplant, the patient was monitored closely in the ICU, receiving comprehensive care to ensure a smooth recovery.
Her journey symbolizes Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi’s dedication to personalized, multidisciplinary care, supported by state-of-the-art technology.
The hospital’s ability to perform such complex surgeries is attracting patients from Europe, Asia, and South America, further establishing Abu Dhabi as a hub for advanced medical treatment.
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