New method for cardiac operation successful in Oman

Muscat: For the first time in the Sultanate, the National Center for Cardiac Medicine and Surgery, at the Royal Hospital, organised a workshop to perform cardiac mitral valve repair by interventional catheter as an alternative to traditional open heart surgery for patients who have high surgical risk, the Health Ministry announced online.

A statement issued by Health Ministry said: “ In early November, successful operations were performed for four patients with severe chronic mitral reflux, and they were not eligible for conventional mitral valve repair or replacement by open heart surgery because of their high risk. Therefore, they have successfully performed the surgery using the Interventional Catheter .”

“The medical staff consisted of cardiologists and anesthetists, as well as technicians and nurses and they were able to mount a mitral valve clip that was inserted through the femoral vein,” the Health Ministry added.

The Ministry further said, “The mitral valve is the valve located between the left heart chambers (left atrium and left ventricle), and the mitral valve disorder is caused by the valve's tightly closed leaves leading to blood leakage. The patient feels very tired, short of breath and unable to carry out normal daily activities."