المملكة: Makkah Al-Mukarramah… saving a Yemeni pilgrim and a Turkish pilgrim through interventional cardiac techniques

The Medical City explained that the first case belongs to a Yemeni pilgrim with a history of coronary artery disease, and the case after coronary bypass surgery that was performed on him in 2022 in the Republic of Yemen, where he was exposed to an intermittent disorder during his stay in Mecca. Heart rate and a slow pulse, likely related to therapeutic medications, which necessitated his transfer through the Saudi Red Crescent Authority and the provision of the necessary cardiac care to him.

She added that after his health condition stabilized, he was provided with a smart watch as part of the virtual cardiac care program at King Abdullah Medical City, with the aim of enabling him to complete his Hajj rituals safely while continuing accurate medical monitoring of his vital signs and ECG remotely and around the clock.

Pulse rate. Heart

The smart watch data later showed a frequent and noticeable decrease in the heart rate, while the built-in ECG feature revealed clear indications of a serious electrical disturbance in the heart, which prompted the nursing team specializing in remote monitoring to communicate directly with Al-Hajj, as he reported that he was suffering from constant dizziness and increasing fatigue.

After reviewing the vital readings and ECG results and urgently submitting them to the treating physician, the case was diagnosed as complete heart block (CHB), which is One of the critical heart conditions that may lead to loss of consciousness or cardiac arrest if not intervened urgently.

As soon as the diagnosis was confirmed, the virtual cardiac care team initiated immediate contact with the Hajj and informed him of the need to urgently go to the emergency department, where he was put to sleep and the necessary therapeutic interventions were completed, so that the specialized cardiac team succeeded in implanting a permanent pacemaker, and the operation – thanks to God – was crowned with success, so that the Hajj regained his health stability and was able to continue his journey. Al-Faimaniyah is under continuous digital medical follow-up.

King Abdullah Medical City

In the second case, the Heart Center at King Abdullah Medical City succeeded in saving the life of a 70-year-old Turkish woman, after she was exposed to a sudden fainting episode while she was in the Holy Sites. Careful cardiac examinations revealed that she had severe and advanced stenosis of the aortic valve, accompanied by severe calcifications and a significant increase in pressure gradients across the valve, in addition to enlargement of the heart muscle and affected Cardiac care Central

The operation was performed successfully using the intervention technique via the femoral artery under local anesthesia, where the medical team was able to implant the new valve with high precision and restore the normal flow of blood circulation, without recording any leakage around the valve or complications during the procedure, while the immediate interventional evaluations confirmed the stability of the valve position and its functional efficiency immediately after implantation.

The case witnessed a noticeable clinical improvement after the operation, as the patient regained full consciousness, her vital signs stabilized, and the cardiac symptoms disappeared. She was transferred to cardiac intensive care for complete follow-up, with the subsequent successful removal of the temporary pacemaker without any complications.