Rare tumour removed through minimally invasive surgery

This is the first case at the Dubai Hospital and first case done by a minimally invasive technique at the hospital. - Alamy Image

The cardiothoracic surgery team at the Dubai Hospital has performed a rare open heart surgery using a minimally invasive technique to remove a benign tumour measuring about 3cm, which was attached to the aortic valve in a 32-year-old patient.
Dr Bassil Al Zamkan and Dr Obaid Al Jassim, senior consultants in cardiovascular and cardiothoracic surgery at the Dubai Hospital, said internationally, incidences of fibroelastoma aortic valve are extremely rare with a percentage of 0.0017 to 0.33 per cent.

This is the first case at the Dubai Hospital and first case done by a minimally invasive technique at the hospital. The patient was admitted to Rashid Hospital with complaints of severe chest pain and had suffered a heart attack.
"He underwent an urgent coronary angiogram, which showed a mobile mass protruding from one of the aortic valve cusps and intermittently blocking the blood flow to the right side of the heart," said Dr Al Zamkan and Dr Al Jassim.
"Such a case is extremely dangerous for the patient because this tumour can cause embolisation and stroke or it can completely block the blood flow and cause a fatal heart attack."
The patient was accepted to the Dubai Hospital for emergency cardiac surgery. In addition to Dr Al Zamkan and Al Jassim, the cardiothoracic surgery team at the Dubai Hospital, included Dr Fayaz Mohammed Khazi, consultant cardiothoracic anesthetist and his team.
"Using minimally invasive techniques and avoiding the routine cutting of the breastbone, a small incision was made on the upper chest, through which the surgery was successfully performed. This kind of tumour and procedure for its removal are very rare and high risk as it could entail a lot of major complications such as heart block, damage to the valve and the heart, which could need replacement of the total valve and insertion of permanent pacemaker," said Dr Al Jassim and Al Zamkan.
The incidence of aortic dissection are three per 100,000 people (0.003%), as for international mortality rate; around 33 per cent of patients die within the first 24 hours, and 50 per cent die within 48 hours. "We have done 22 cases and our mortality is below 20 per cent," said the doctors.
The patient recovered well and was discharged after five days.
asmaalizain@khaleejtimes.com