A man with multiple organ failure because of a complex aortic valve stenosis had a successful life-saving surgery performed on him, thanks to doctors at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi.
The man in his mid-30s had a congenital abnormality that led to significant difficulties in his heart’s ability to pump blood. “In this particular case, we were confronted with a condition where the patient’s aortic valve was critically narrowed, impeding blood flow and threatening heart function. His age was also a factor as aortic valve stenosis usually affects the older demographic,” said Dr Mahmoud Traina, staff physician of cardiovascular medicine in the Heart, Vascular and Thoracic Institute at the hospital, part of the M42 network.
After being evaluated for emergency treatment, the patient was quickly placed on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) to stabilise his condition before going into life-saving surgery. The aortic valve replacement procedure lasted a little under two hours, involving the insertion of a biological valve supported by a stainless-steel frame into the heart using a catheter.
“After confirming the valve’s functionality, the catheter was removed, and the 5mm incision was closed. Our team’s prompt response and subsequent decision-making to employ advanced techniques like ECMO and transcatheter aortic valve replacement were pivotal in the successful treatment of this young patient,” Dr Traina noted. Post-surgery, the patient showed significant improvement and was discharged a few days later, returning to work in less than 10 days.
Aortic valve stenosis is a condition when the aortic valve in the heart becomes narrowed or blocked interfering with the normal blood flow out of the heart, causing heart damage, major health problems, and even death. This condition is most common in the elderly, becoming more and more common after age 65 and can be caused by several diseases that may develop in people when they reach middle age. In rare instances, children can be born with a defect of the aortic valve that causes stenosis.
