RIYADH — King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center in Riyadh performed 40 minimal invasive cardiac surgeries (MIS) by utilizing video-assisted procedures with 100 percent success during the first half of 2018, avoiding the need for sternotomy and all the adverse effects associated with it.

Dr. Feras Khaliel, consultant cardiac surgeon at KFSH&RC, Riyadh, said the age of the patients ranged from 14 to 68 years, and were diagnosed with heart disease and some with congestive heart failure due to various cardiac problems.

The surgery was performed through two incisions of 1 cm long; the first incision was utilized for the telescopic camera, and the second for the chest drains and insufflation. In addition, 4cm incision is made to pass the pericardial patches and heart valves for the needed therapy.

This kind of surgery was designed to repair and replace diseased heart valves. It can also be utilized for aortic aneurysms repair, cardiac tumors excisions, maze ablations for atrial arrhythmias, and for atrial septal defects repair.

Dr. Khaliel has confirmed that this sophisticated technique is not very common and according to the latest publications at the ISMICS meeting, less than 5 percent of cardiac surgeons worldwide are sub-specialized and certified to perform the technique.

"The fact that KFSH&RC has performed 40 cases within first six months means that it is equivalent to 8-fold the number the international centers do as a start-up, annually. This translates into the strong infrastructure and support that the cardiac surgery unit receives from the hospital administration," said a press statement issued by the hospital.

The project is among the pioneering transformation programs that KFSH&RC has launched, the statement said.

MIS aims to minimize patient suffering and lower the cost by limiting the need for blood transfusions due to blood loss. Furthermore, it prevents wound infections and reduces the length of ICU and hospital stay, which is usually 2-3 days at ICU and 1-2 weeks' hospitalization in conventional surgery against 10 hours in ICU and 3-5 days' hospitalization in MIS. "We have noticed a reduction of mechanical ventilation length from 24 hours down to 4 hours with MIS," the statement said.

Minimal invasive cardiac surgery leads to faster recovery of patients within two weeks compared three months for their counterparts opting conventional surgery. — SG