Balloon Mitral Valvuloplasty Successfully Performed at Cath Lab

This is the first time the highly specialized procedure has been done in the Emirate of Ajman

Thumbay Hospital – Ajman, the leading academic hospital owned by Thumbay Group successfully performed ‘Balloon Mitral Valvuloplasty’ on a thirty-four year old female patient hailing from Philippines, at the hospital’s state-of-the-art Cath Lab on Sunday, 10th April 2016. The procedure was done by the hospital’s Interventional Cardiologist, Dr. Mahmoud Farouk Mohamed Elmahdi.

The case

Since the last few months, the patient had started to complain of difficulty in breathing while carrying out her normal, day-to-day activities. Prior to that, the patient used to be a completely healthy individual with no significant health issues whatsoever. She sought medical advice with the cardiologist at Thumbay Hospital – Dubai, who on examination noticed abnormal cardiac sounds in the patient. He further examined the case by conducting Transesophageal Echocardiography (TEE), which showed the presence of rheumatic infection of the mitral valve (MV), revealing very severe Mitral Valve Stenosis.

The patient was referred to Thumbay Hospital – Ajman. Dr. Mahmoud Farouk revised her and confirmed the diagnosis through Transesophageal Echocardiography. Performing TEE was also important to make sure that there were no clots inside the patient’s heart, which may give rise to complications during the procedure. The patient was then prepared for the Percutaneous Balloon Mitral Valvuloplasty procedure. She was taken to the hospital’s advanced Cath Lab for the procedure using Inoue Balloon.

The procedure went smooth. This was done under Local Anesthesia at the site of the puncture, from the upper leg. The procedure was complete in about one-and-a-half hours. The patient was transferred out of the Cath Lab after performing dilatation of the affected Mitral Valve. The very next day, the patient was discharged from the hospital, after undergoing Transthoracic Echocardiogram to confirm the post-procedure result.

The recovered patient will now undergo periodic checkups; 1 week after the procedure, then one month later, and after that, yearly.

The procedure

Traditionally, surgery had been the solution to rectify Mitral Valve Stenosis. However, since the invention of the balloon procedure, this has been the first-line of treatment.

This is a very demanding procedure, and requires special training to perform the dilatation of the mitral valve. However, it is beneficial for the patient, who otherwise would have to undergo an open-heart surgery to rectify the condition.

An important advantage of this procedure vis-à-vis the surgical option is that the patient can resume his/her normal routine just one day after the procedure, with no need for prolonged rest, and not more than a day of hospital admittance.

Usually the procedure is very effective, and complete recovery is achieved. However, rarely some patients develop restenosis after 10 years, irrespective of whether he/she had been cured by surgery or the balloon procedure. The advantage of Balloon Mitral Valvuloplasty is that, even in case of restenosis 10 years later, the procedure can be repeated, rather than going for surgery.

Thumbay Hospital Ajman has got experienced professionals capable of performing this highly specialized procedure.

About Mitral Valve Stenosis

This condition is usually the result of catching infections during childhood, caused by organisms which affect the heart valves. Usually, the patient starts showing symptoms when he/she is between 20 and 30 years old.

The disease is caught by children especially from crowded places like schools, through coughing, sneezing etc. Usually children remain asymptomatic until the age of 20 or 30. The disease is usually either discovered accidentally during a medical examination, or through diagnosis, after they start complaining of uneasiness.

Mitral Valve Stenosis is no longer considered a rare disease. The prevalence is high, especially among the Asian populations. There has to be increased awareness in the community that this can be rectified through Balloon Mitral Valvuloplasty, rather than going for surgery.

Precautions to be taken during childhood

Improper treatment of sore-throats and tonsillitis during childhood is an important cause of this disease, which goes on to infect the heart. Throat/tonsils are the primary sites of the infection; so it is important to ensure that proper treatment is given. For children with sore-throats or tonsillitis, proper dosage of the appropriate antibiotics have to be administered on time in order to prevent cardiac involvement, as the organism tends to travel from the tonsils or the throat to the heart.

In most of the countries with crowded populations where this disease is prevalent, the situation is worsened when the infected kids are given over-the-counter antibiotics without proper consultation with a doctor.

Other services available in Thumbay Hospital’s Cath Lab

Thumbay Hospital Ajman has a brand-new, most-modern Cath Lab under highly qualified and experienced doctors. The following are some of the important services available:

Insertion of device in the heart: Insertion of Pacemakers and ICDs. These lifesaving devices are inserted for conditions usually affecting the ageing population 70-75, such as decrease in heartbeats, weakening of the heart etc. Thumbay Hospital Ajman has expert doctors who have been doing this successfully for more than 7 years now.

BVS Bioabsorbable Stents: The hospital excels in the insertion of bioabsorbable stents which become part of the body after 6 months of insertion. Once these stents are absorbed by the body, there is no need for the patient to follow long-term medication.

Thumbay Hospital, the first JCI accredited hospital in Ajman, has an excellent Cardiology Department led by expert doctors with a lot of experience working with the most modern technologies and well-versed with advanced treatments and procedures. The department offers world-class services ranging from just a check-up to handling the most critical cases. Some of the features of the Cardiac Department include: well-equipped ICUs, recent type of echocardiogram, high-quality monitors and ventilators inside the ICU etc. The cardiac services are streamlined and properly coordinated right from the ER to the ICU, ensuring perfect care. The Pediatric Echocardiography is handled by highly experienced doctors.