High-tech diamond drill surgery replaces heart bypass operation
dubai — A novel technique which involves drilling away calcium using a diamond drill in a heart artery, at an average rate of 180,000 rotations per minute, has saved the life of a heart patient.
A patient, who was at risk of suffering a heart attack, is enjoying a new lease of life thanks to a new, non-invasive procedure which cleared a blocked artery that would previously have been treated with a heart bypass.
Dr Wissam Al Sahli, Consultant Interventional Cardiologist at NMC Royal Hospital Khalifa City, did the procedure using a miniscule drill made of diamond, to clear a blocked heart artery that was causing severe chest pain and a worrying shortness of breath in the patient.
The method, known as ’rotablation’, is a novel technique, drilling away calcium in an artery at an average rate of 180,000 rotations per minute, and thus replacing the traditional heart bypass procedure.
Commenting on the procedure, Dr Wissam said, “This rare procedure was such a success and that our patient is now enjoying life without pain, following a very speedy recovery.
“The fact that this procedure could eventually replace invasive, and sometimes risky, heart bypasses, marks a significant and exciting juncture for the cardiovascular medical industry, and those suffering from heart problems.”
“A heart bypass is a very invasive procedure and one of the biggest operations that any patient can undergo, with in-hospital admission averaging one week, and full recovery taking around three months. Furthermore, operative risks include stroke, infection and sometimes even death.
The patient, who had longstanding high blood pressure and cholesterol and had previously undergone an angioplasty two years ago, had not been treated. Without the procedure, he would have been at serious risk of having a coronary failure from severe narrowing of his arteries.
asmaalizain@khaleejtimes.com