Dubai hospital performs angioplasty on patient in record timing of 19 minutes

A 35-year-old patient who suffered an acute heart attack was saved after he underwent an angioplasty procedure in just 19 minutes at a Dubai hospital.

The patient had complained of extreme pain and chest discomfort following which an ambulance was called in. The Dubai Corporation for Ambulance Services (DCAS) responded quickly to the emergency but the ambulance crew found the patient unconscious and having a cardiac arrest.

They then began performing CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) while giving him electric shocks to restore his normal heart rhythm while the patient was been taken to Al Zahra Hospital Emergency Department.

No time was wasted throughout the whole procedure. A quick process of coordination between the emergency medical dispatch, ambulance crew and the medical staff at Al Zahra Hospital Dubai allowed them to diagnose the patient's condition and prepare for his ECG even before he had arrived at the hospital.

The patient was diagnosed with an acute heart attack. His condition was quickly shared with all members of the emergency and cardiology team to ensure the preparation of all the necessary equipment and assessments along with the activation of the Cath Lab.

The cardiology team found that there was 100 per cent arterial blockage of a major blood vessel that supplies blood to the right side of the heart.

Following this an angioplasty was performed on the patient.

Dr Behrad Elahi, Interventional Cardiologist at Al Zahra Hospital Dubai said, “Through the quick communication that we had with all the team members, we were able to perform all the procedures in a quick manner and give our patient the necessary care. The patient came in when most doctors were off duty, but we were still able to be fully prepared within just a few minutes and by the time of the patient’s arrival as well as have all the equipment needed ready. We were all dedicated to bringing the patient back to a stable condition and I believe that due to our quick responses and teamwork, we were able to help the patient fully recover.”

The procedure (angioplasty) was done through the wrist to restore the flow of the blood vessel and was completed in only 4 minutes and 30 seconds.

Once all procedures were done and the patient was completely stable, he was discharged after three days. The doctors then informed the family that the patient’s heart function had returned to normal.

Khalifa Al Drai, Executive Director of the Dubai Corporation for Ambulance Services, opined, “The professionalism with which the Dubai Ambulance Team dealt with the case is a cause for pride and happiness, which contributed greatly to preserving the patient’s life, starting from receiving the call, the quick response, up until the patient reached the hospital."

"I praise the strong relationship between our institution and the private medical sector, stressing that social responsibility is a prominent feature in civilised societies, which is reflected in the combined efforts between the health sectors, showing the importance of promoting emergency culture among members of society in conjunction with the efforts of medical institutions to strengthen their partnerships and serve the community,” he added.

Dr Rajeev Lochan, Head of the Cardiology Department and Consultant Interventional Cardiologist, Al Zahra Hospital Dubai avers, “The world standard timing for treating heart attack patients is 90 minutes, however, most cases are being resolved in approximately 120 minutes. At the Al Zahra Heart Attack Center we resolve most of our AMI cases in less than 60 minutes, also known as the golden hour, which excessively reduces the possibility of any damage to the heart muscle. Our emergency services and medical team are available 24/7 to ensure that all patients in critical conditions get the best chances of survival.”

• Dubai