(MENAFN- Gulf Times) A leading cardiologist explained a variety of advanced interventional procedures used to treat adults with congenital heart disease in the latest instalment of Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar's (WCMC-Q) Grand Rounds.
Prof Ziyad M Hijazi, acting chief medical officer and chair of the Department of Paediatrics at Sidra Medical and Research Centre, spoke about the latest developments in interventional therapies to repair common congenital and structural heart disorders such as atrial and ventricular septal defects (also known as hole in the heart), pulmonary valve stenosis (narrowing of the pulmonary valve), aortic valve stenosis (narrowing of the aortic valve) and patent foramen ovale, which is when an opening between the upper two chambers of the heart does not close after birth as it should.
Hijazi, who is also director of the Sidra Cardiovascular Centre of Excellence, explained how cardiac interventionalists use advanced techniques, equipment and instruments to repair heart defects, often using a sophisticated catheter device to access the heart through an artery or vein in the groin, removing the need for opening the chest cavity.
Hijazi and his colleagues have refined a surgical procedure to repair an atrial septal defect to such a degree that it can now be safely performed under local anaesthetic with the patient remaining conscious throughout.
Each year, approximately 5,000 children are born with atrial septal defects in the United States alone. An estimated 1mn children and 1mn adults in the United States have some form of congenital heart disease.
Speaking at WCMC-Q to an audience of physicians, researchers, students and healthcare professionals, Hijazi said: "One of the nice things about the patient remaining conscious for this procedure is that we can now allow them to be accompanied by a loved one during the operation, which brings them great comfort. Additionally, because we are using local anesthetic, the patient can often return home the same day."
Hijazi was the primary investigator who led the trials and pioneered the use and testing of Amplatser occluders in the United States, leading to the device gaining approval from the US Food and Drug Administration for use in children and adults.
A prolific researcher, Hijazi has more than 290 peer-reviewed published articles to his name and has authored six books and more than 40 book chapters.
"Approximately 10% of all congenital heart defects are atrial septal defects and in my experience more than 90% of cases can be repaired using a septal occluder device," Hijazi said.
"For children and adults who are affected by this heart defect, making this repair can greatly improve their quality of life and also extend their lifetime, in some cases by many decades."
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