Latest news with #Vascular&ThoracicInstitute
Al Etihad
31-07-2025
- Health
- Al Etihad
Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi marks another milestone with life-saving double lung transplant of Guatemalan patient
1 Aug 2025 00:37 ABU DHABI (ALETIHAD)Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi has cemented its position as a global leader in complex medical care with the successful double lung transplant of a 66-year-old patient from Guatemala. Performed by a multidisciplinary team from the hospital's Heart, Vascular & Thoracic Institute and Integrated Hospital Institute, the life-saving procedure is a powerful testament to the hospital's commitment and track record of delivering world-class care across borders. This milestone underlines Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi's dedication to expanding access to advanced, high-quality care accessible on a global scale. Oscar Romero López Guillén, who had been battling end-stage pulmonary fibrosis, arrived in Abu Dhabi after exhausting medical options in South Asia, Latin America, Europe, and the United States. Dependent on oxygen 24 hours a day and struggling with even the simplest physical tasks, Oscar faced an uncertain future until he discovered Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi's transplant with pulmonary fibrosis in 2016 in Guatemala after a prolonged cough, his condition progressively worsened over nearly a decade. Despite consultations in multiple countries and facing challenging issues like citizenship requirements and limited transplant capabilities and facilities, Oscar remained hopeful. Finally, in late 2024, the Cleveland Clinic global referral system connected him to Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, offering him a new lease on life through the hospital's renowned Lung Transplant Georges-Pascal Haber, Chief Executive Officer at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, said, 'Oscar's journey is a powerful reminder of what Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi stands for, providing world-class care to patients across the globe. Our multi-organ transplant programme, one of the first in the region, is more than just advanced medical excellence; it's about expertise, compassionate care, and the extraordinary impact of the UAE's Hayat organ donation programme. We are honoured to be a place where both local and international patients can find hope and a second chance. At Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, we are committed to ensuring that access to life-saving treatments knows no borders.'Dr. Usman Ahmad, Chair of Thoracic Surgery and Lung Transplantation, Heart, Vascular & Thoracic Institute at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, said, "Upon arrival at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, Oscar's lungs were barely functioning. Remarkably, he had endured such severe limitations for nearly a decade. After a thorough evaluation by our multidisciplinary lung transplant team, he was listed and underwent a double lung transplant a few weeks later. Today, just weeks after the surgery, Oscar has regained full function, with normal oxygen levels, excellent exercise capacity, and a normal quality of life. His recovery is a testament to the expertise of our team and our ability to provide life-changing care."Upon receiving Oscar's medical records, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi's multidisciplinary team, comprising surgical lung transplant specialists and other critical care experts, immediately studied his case in detail. The family was swiftly enrolled in the lung transplant programme, and within weeks, they received the life-changing news that a matching donor organ had become available. Less than a week later, Oscar was admitted to the hospital and began preparations for his early 2025, after ensuring there were no complications, Oscar underwent a successful double lung transplant surgery. His recovery was swift and remarkable. Just 10 days after his admission, Oscar was discharged, breathing on his own, and ready to begin the next chapter of his life. Explaining his condition, Dr. Andres Obeso, Staff Physician, Thoracic Surgery at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, said: 'Oscar arrived at our doors speaking a different language, from a different continent, but the language of healing and helping is human and universal. When we reviewed his case, we found severely impaired lung function, yet no other major comorbidities. That combination, along with his resilience, made him a strong candidate for transplant. A successful lung transplant can add years to a patient's life. In Oscar's case, the surgery, intensive care, and post-transplant rehabilitation were all coordinated seamlessly by our multidisciplinary team. His journey is a testament to what's possible when world-class expertise meets an unshakable human spirit. These are the stories that inspire our mission to provide the best care, no matter where a patient comes from.'Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi is home to one of the region's first and most comprehensive lung transplant programmes, and one of the few worldwide that consistently welcomes international patients. Backed by an expert multidisciplinary team, the programme delivers end-to-end care, from in-depth pre-transplant evaluations to surgery and long-term recovery patients like Oscar, the hospital's dedicated International Patient Services team plays an essential role, seamlessly managing everything from travel and visa arrangements to accommodation and care coordination. This integrated approach ensures every patient's journey, from diagnosis to recovery, is as smooth and stress-free as hospital recently reported a 35% increase in international patient volume in 2024, with more than 10,000 international patient visits. Renowned for its excellence in complex care, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi saw increased interest in its advanced services, mainly in the areas of cardiology, ophthalmology, neurology, and urology. Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Bahrain, and the US are the top five countries from which international patients are travelling to Abu Dhabi in who now lives in the UAE for follow-up care, expressed his gratitude for the treatment that gave him a second chance, 'When I arrived at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, I felt like I had come to Heaven on Earth. The level of care, the kindness of the nurses, the professionalism, it was something I had never experienced before.''For years, I lived attached to an oxygen tank 24 hours a day. It wasn't just physically exhausting; it was a constant reminder that I could stop breathing at any moment. It was frightening, isolating, and incredibly expensive.'What amazed me most was how quickly everything happened. Throughout my long journey, no other hospital could provide an organ in time, but within weeks of arriving here, I was already preparing for surgery. Today, I can breathe, walk, and live again. I thank God, and I thank the incredible team at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi who made this miracle possible,' Oscar added. Oscar's story is a reflection of Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi's expanding role in shaping the UAE's future as a global hub for complex care. As a centre of excellence in specialities such as adult cardiac surgery and stroke, the hospital continues to push the boundaries of what's possible in medicine. Powered by its collaboration with the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH), M42, the broader Cleveland Clinic network, and international partners, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi is delivering world-class outcomes and advancing the nation's vision of becoming a destination for medical innovation, excellence, and deeply human-centred care.
Al Etihad
03-06-2025
- Business
- Al Etihad
Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi sets new standard in cardiovascular care with AlphaVac procedure
3 June 2025 13:51 ABU DHABI (ALETIHAD)Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, part of the M42 group, has successfully performed the AlphaVac thrombectomy, marking a significant milestone in advanced vascular AlphaVac device is a vacuum-assisted medical tool used to remove dangerous blood clots from the body, particularly large veins in the heart and minimally invasive, catheter-based technique helps reduce the risk of postoperative complications compared to traditional open-heart breakthrough procedure was performed by the hospital's Heart, Vascular & Thoracic Institute (HVTI) on a critically ill 70-year-old patient with multiple severe underlying health conditions, including hypertension, chronic kidney disease, heart failure, and atrial fibrillation (irregular heartbeats).The patient also had coronary artery disease and aortic valve stenosis, which is the narrowing of the heart's blood vessels and main valve, which had previously required her to undergo open-heart Georges-Pascal Haber, CEO of Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, stated, 'As medical advancements rapidly accelerate, building a sustainable healthcare system requires a relentless commitment to innovation. Over the past decade, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi has integrated cutting-edge technologies that improve patient outcomes and transform complex care delivery.'Dr. Houssam Younes, Department Chair, Vascular Surgery, Heart, Vascular & Thoracic Institute at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, said, "The AlphaVac offers a distinct minimally invasive advantage with its innovative nitinol basket and expandable funnel tip. It allows us to efficiently engage and remove large clot burdens with minimal blood loss."This case highlights the serious risks of lead infections and demonstrates how Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi is changing the landscape of high-risk cardiovascular care. Using the latest technology, the team safely removed the clot and the pacemaker, resolving the infection and ultimately helping the patient recover with minimal disruption. Source: Aletihad - Abu Dhabi
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
New drug cuts down genetically inherited heart disease risk factor
(NewsNation) — An experimental drug has shown success in lowering the risk of genetically inherited heart disease by 94 percent during the second phase of its trial. Lepodisiran, an experimental drug from the pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly, is a small interfering RNA (siRNA) therapy designed to lower the production of lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)], a genetically inherited risk factor for heart disease, according to a press release Sunday. 'Nearly a quarter of the world's population has elevated levels of Lp(a), putting them at a significantly higher risk of cardiovascular events such as heart attacks and strokes,' said Steven Nissen, chief academic officer of the Heart, Vascular & Thoracic Institute at the Cleveland Clinic. 'Unfortunately, there are no approved cholesterol-lowering therapies specifically for this genetic risk factor, and lifestyle changes like diet and exercise do not provide meaningful reductions,' Nissan added. But, he continued, 'these significant and sustained Lp(a) reductions are encouraging and suggest that siRNA approaches like lepodisiran could potentially offer durable benefits with long-term dosing.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
01-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
New drug cuts down genetically inherited heart disease risk factor
(NewsNation) — An experimental drug has shown success in lowering the risk of genetically inherited heart disease by 94 percent during the second phase of its trial. Lepodisiran, an experimental drug from the pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly, is a small interfering RNA (siRNA) therapy designed to lower the production of lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)], a genetically inherited risk factor for heart disease, according to a press release Sunday. 'Nearly a quarter of the world's population has elevated levels of Lp(a), putting them at a significantly higher risk of cardiovascular events such as heart attacks and strokes,' said Steven Nissen, chief academic officer of the Heart, Vascular & Thoracic Institute at the Cleveland Clinic. 'Unfortunately, there are no approved cholesterol-lowering therapies specifically for this genetic risk factor, and lifestyle changes like diet and exercise do not provide meaningful reductions,' Nissan added. But, he continued, 'these significant and sustained Lp(a) reductions are encouraging and suggest that siRNA approaches like lepodisiran could potentially offer durable benefits with long-term dosing.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
01-04-2025
- Health
- The Hill
New drug cuts down genetically inherited heart disease risk factor
(NewsNation) — An experimental drug has shown success in lowering the risk of genetically inherited heart disease by 94 percent during the second phase of its trial. Lepodisiran, an experimental drug from the pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly, is a small interfering RNA (siRNA) therapy designed to lower the production of lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)], a genetically inherited risk factor for heart disease, according to a press release Sunday. 'Nearly a quarter of the world's population has elevated levels of Lp(a), putting them at a significantly higher risk of cardiovascular events such as heart attacks and strokes,' said Steven Nissen, chief academic officer of the Heart, Vascular & Thoracic Institute at the Cleveland Clinic. 'Unfortunately, there are no approved cholesterol-lowering therapies specifically for this genetic risk factor, and lifestyle changes like diet and exercise do not provide meaningful reductions,' Nissan added. But, he continued, 'these significant and sustained Lp(a) reductions are encouraging and suggest that siRNA approaches like lepodisiran could potentially offer durable benefits with long-term dosing.'
