Life-saving, cutting-edge cardiac advances showcased at Arab Health 2023

Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 04 February 2023: Royal Brompton & Harefield Hospitals Specialist Care (RB&HH) and Evelina London Children’s Hospital, both part of Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust showcased life-saving, cutting-edge cardiac advances to address cardiovascular issues at Arab Health 2023 including 3D fetal cardiac imaging and machine learning Artificial Intelligence (AI), as well as the totally endoscopic 3D heart valve repair and replacement surgical technique.

On the first day of Arab Heath 2023, Dr Owen Miller, consultant in paediatric and fetal cardiology based at Evelina London Children’s Hospital, showcased the latest fetal cardiac MRI method used to build 3D images of the fetal heart, and the surrounding anatomy, providing improved prenatal diagnosis. He performed a live simulation at the UK Healthcare Pavilion.

Mr Toufan Bahrami, consultant cardiac surgeon at Royal Brompton and Harefield hospitals, also showcased the innovative totally endoscopic 3D valve repair and replacement surgical technique, providing high precision surgery through a 3cm incision through a live simulation on the second day of Arab Health 2023.

During the revolutionary surgery, a 4K resolution 3D camera is used which shows the inside of the chest via a high-definition TV monitor in the operating theatre. Endoscopic instruments are mechanically manipulated, and the surgeon can intervene manually if required.

In the UAE, nearly 38% of adult deaths are attributed to cardiovascular disease (CVD). Faulty mitral valves are one of the most common causes of CVD and can be caused by age-related changes to the heart. Additionally, 1 out of every 100 babies is born with congenital heart disease, making heart problems the most common type of birth defect in the UAE.