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UAE: Woman saved from open-heart surgery as hospital uses shockwave tech

The patient had severely calcified coronary artery, was experiencing chest pain and struggling to walk

Published: Tue 22 Aug 2023, 6:00 AM

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Khadijeh Abdollah and Dr Sokhrab Khorram (middle) at RAK Hospital.

Khadijeh Abdollah and Dr Sokhrab Khorram (middle) at RAK Hospital.

An Emirati woman has been spared from an open-heart surgery after a hospital in the UAE used innovative shockwave technology known as Intravascular Lithotripsy (IVL). According to the medical team at RAK Hospital, the innovative approach proved to be a “life-changing solution” for 69-year-old Khadijeh Abdollah, who arrived at the hospital in a critical condition.

The patient had severely calcified coronary artery, was experiencing chest pain and struggling to walk.

Dr Sokhrab Khorram, specialist interventional cardiologist at RAK Hospital, highlighted how complex the case was: "Considering the patient's history of diabetes, high blood pressure, ischemic heart disease (IHD), and a previous coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) procedure, an open-heart surgery posed substantial risks," he said.

Calcified arteries present a challenging scenario for patients like Khadijeh, where the accumulation of calcium hardens the arteries, making standard stenting procedures difficult and sometimes unfeasible. If left untreated, this condition can lead to heart attacks or heart failure.

During the angioplasty procedure at the hospital, the medical team encountered difficulties that prevented stent placement. To address this, the innovative IVL technology was employed.

IVL, a cutting-edge technology that is still relatively novel in the UAE, provides a non-invasive alternative to open-heart surgery. It uses sonic waves to create small cracks in calcium deposits within artery walls, allowing stents to expand effectively. Unlike traditional methods that involve abrasive catheter tips, IVL offers minimal risk of complications such as vessel damage or perforation.

"Cardiac disease stands as the leading cause of death. Nearly half of these fatalities strike suddenly, with a majority arising from severe coronary blockages. The IVL technology emerges as a genuine game changer in interventional cardiology, particularly for patients grappling with stubborn calcium buildup resistant to conventional treatments like inflatable balloons and atherectomy," said Dr Raza Siddiqui, executive director of RAK Hospital.

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