NAT-190422-ZULEKHA-(Read-Only)
Zulekha Hospital saved the life of 38-year-old Alexander Baligad after experiencing severe pain in his chest and numbness in his left arm. Following a coronary angiogram examination, a severe coronary disease in the left main artery and 95 per cent blockage of right artery and a total block of the left anterior descending artery causing Coronary Artery Stenosis was revealed. Image Credit: Supplied

Dubai: A young heart patient’s life was saved by UAE surgeons who performed an open heart surgery with three bypass grafts to resume blood flow to his heart. The surgery was carried out at Zulekha Hospital on 38-year old Alexander Baligad.

The patient, came to the emergency unit with severe chest pain and numbness in the left arm. Upon examination it was found there was 95 per cent blockage of the right artrery and total block of the left anterior descending artery causing coronary artery stenosis, said Dr Mohammad Ahmad Helmy, consultant cardiac surgeon at the hospital.

“CAS causes thinning of blood vessels within the heart which limits blood supply, causing the heart to turn blue from lack of oxygen. There were also signs of severe Ischemia in the left anterior descending artery, meaning the artery was completely blocked and it was critical for the patient to undergo prompt cardiac surgery,” said Dr Helmy.

95 %

of the right artery was blocked and there was total blockage of the left anterior artery

Dr Helmy added: “Since the patient was taking blood thinners it made the surgery more complicated due to the higher possibility of bleeding. However, due to the urgent nature of Baligad’s condition, it was decided to go ahead and perform a cardiac procedure to save his life within an hour of his arrival at the hospital.”

Dr Helmy and his team performed open heart surgery and three bypass grafts to restore blood flow to the heart again. The surgery went smoothly and took around five hours to complete. The patient was in intensive care for 48 hours following the surgery and after two days was able to walk around. The patient was discharged on the seventh day and has been instructed to walk 30 minutes daily in order to avoid occurrence of the severe disease.

Baligad commented: “I was very tired while travelling between work and home every day and was experiencing pain in my left arm and chest for over two months. After consulting in multiple hospitals, I was relieved when Zulekha Hospital accepted to treat my condition. The team gave me the confidence and assurance that the blockage can be removed and I can regain a comfortable life without pain,” he said.