Doctors perform first-of-its-kind cardiac surgery in Oman

Oman Sunday 03/June/2018 22:25 PM
By: Times News Service
Doctors perform first-of-its-kind cardiac surgery in Oman

Muscat: Doctors at the National Heart Centre performed a first-of-its-kind cardiac catheterisation surgery on Sunday.
The catheterisation was performed by a medical team led by Dr. Salim Al Maskari, NHC Director and Senior Consultant of Cardiology, and Dr. Abdullah Al Farqani, Senior Consultant of Cardiac Catheterisation, in collaboration with anaesthesiologists, cardiologists and nurses.
The surgery was performed to repair atrial septal defects, which are caused by holes in the wall that separate the top two chambers of the heart, causing oxygen-rich blood to leak.
Dr. Al Maskari explained that the patient was anaesthetised and then the medical team inserted sensors through a small hole in the groin area.
He added that the sensors then followed a path to the heart and took the measurements of the aperture in the heart and, finally, a medical stent was installed so that the patient could fully recover without his blood vessels being affected.
Al Maskari said there are many advantages of this procedure: It reduces surgical intervention, minimises complications associated with the catheter and patients have to stay for a short period in the hospital and can continue their normal life activities soon.
Regarding the surgery, Dr. Abdullah Al Farqani said, “There are a number of challenges in this type of catheterisation; such as the shortage of specialised medical personnel worldwide”.
He added that this service will open new prospects for patients suffering from atrial septal defects.
The National Heart Centre was opened in 2015 at a cost of more than OMR41 million.