The American Hospital Dubai successfully performed the “first robotic heart surgery” to repair the mitral valve in Dubai

The American Hospital Dubai has successfully performed a robotic heart surgery to repair the mitral valve, the first of its kind in Dubai, marking a new medical achievement that opens advanced horizons for minimally invasive robotic heart valve surgeries in the United Arab Emirates and the Middle East region.

The success of this operation represents a new milestone in the journey of the American Hospital Dubai to treat complex heart conditions, and strengthens its position as the only health facility in the UAE that provides robotic heart surgeries. It also opens broader horizons for the development of minimally invasive heart valve surgeries, and allows patients within the country to benefit from world-class techniques for repairing and restoring heart valves without the need to travel abroad.

Robot-assisted mitral valve repair represents an advanced and less invasive alternative to traditional open-heart surgery, as it allows surgeons to perform the procedure through small incisions and with high precision, which contributes to reducing pain and blood loss, accelerating recovery, and reducing the length of hospital stay, while achieving outstanding clinical results.

The operation was performed by the head of the Cardiothoracic Surgery Department at the American Hospital Dubai, Dr. Mohi Maitiq, in cooperation with the hospital’s multidisciplinary heart team.

The patient, who was 60 years old, was suffering from degenerative mitral valve disease, and his condition gradually worsened from moderate to severe despite undergoing drug treatment and regular medical follow-up. The mitral valve, which is one of the four heart valves, is located between the left atrium and the left ventricle, and plays an essential role in regulating blood flow between them. In the patient’s case, damage to the valve and not closing tightly led to blood refluxing into the left atrium, a condition known as mitral valve regurgitation, which required surgical intervention. To fix it.

After a comprehensive evaluation of the case by the cardiology and heart surgery teams at the American Hospital Dubai, the patient was presented with three treatment options, which included repairing the mitral valve with traditional surgery through an incision in the sternum in the middle of the chest, or performing the operation with a minimally invasive technique through a limited incision in the right side of the chest between the ribs, or repairing the valve with the help of a robot through small incisions between the ribs without opening the chest. The patient chose robotic surgery because of the advantages it provides compared to other methods, including reducing pain, blood loss and the need for blood transfusion, in addition to Accelerate recovery and reduce the length of stay in the hospital.

The surgical team at the American Hospital Dubai succeeded in reconstructing the mitral valve using the “da Vinci” robotic surgery system, while the echocardiogram conducted after the operation showed the efficiency of the valve and the successful completion of the repair process, with the disappearance of reflux and the complete cessation of backflow of blood.

On the day following surgery, the patient was able to walk independently and eat normally, and continued his recovery without complications, before leaving the hospital on the third day in a stable health condition and very positive indicators.

Commenting on this achievement, Dr. Mohi Maitiq, Head of the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery at the American Hospital Dubai, said: “Robotic-assisted mitral valve repair represents one of the most advanced applications of modern heart valve reconstruction surgery. The robotic platform provides an accurate and clear view of the surgical field, along with an exceptional level of control and precision, which allows us to carry out complex valve reconstruction operations while minimizing the surgical impact on the patient.”

Maitiq added: “This qualitative operation embodies the American Hospital Dubai’s commitment to employing advanced medical technologies to provide cardiac care according to the highest quality standards, achieve a faster and safer recovery, and reach the best possible results for our patients.”

It is worth noting that the American Hospital Dubai is the first health facility in the region to adopt the fourth generation of the “da Vinci” robotic surgery system, while its Center of Excellence in Robotic Surgery is the first private healthcare facility in the region to obtain accreditation from the American Surgical Review Corporation (SRC), which confirms the hospital’s leadership in adopting advanced surgical technologies, and its commitment to applying the highest standards of robotic care, ensuring patient safety and improving the quality of therapeutic results.