First Heart Valve Replacement in Bahrain’s Private Healthcare Sector

Bahrain Specialist Hospital has been at the forefront of cardiac interventions as well as cardiac surgical treatment in Bahrain. The hospital successfully performed the kingdom’s first heart valve replacement in the private sector in March 2023. The patient was a 35 years old Indian gentleman who was referred with history of progressively worsening shortness of breath for last 4 months. The diagnosis of severe aortic valvular regurgitation was confirmed by consultant cardiologist Dr Abdul Azeez Mohammed by means of trans-esophageal echocardiocardiography. This showed a severely damaged aortic valve with prolapse of one of the valve leaflets causing severe leakage across the aortic valve from the aorta back into the heart. This had led to enlargement of the heart chambers with the associated symptoms.

After detailed evaluation he underwent open heart surgery with aortic valve replacement with Medtronic bileaflet mechanical valve on cardiopulmonary bypass by by Dr Sanjeev Khulbey (Consultant Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgeon) at Bahrain Specialist Hospital. This surgery was the first of its kind in the kingdom. For the surgery, the patient was put on cardiopulmonary bypass, a special technique which provides bloodless field by means of an extra corporeal circuit that provides physiological support to the human body during the surgery. Basically, all the venous blood is drained to a special reservoir where it is oxygenated and sent back to body using a pump.

The valve used was a bileaflet mechanical valve as this would provide excellent long term survival for a young patient like this one. The patient recovered very well from the surgery. He was off ventilator support by the same evening and mobilized the next day. He was discharged home within a week and has been under regular follow up for last two and half years. He is back to all normal activities and has been doing well.

Since then, more surgical valve replacement procedures have been done successfully at BSH with excellent coordination of Cardiac surgeon, Cardiologist, Critical care specialist and other specialized nursing and paramedical staff.