(MENAFN- The Peninsula) The Peninsula
Doha: The quick response of a multidisciplinary team from Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) and a revolutionary technology are being credited with saving the life of a young man who recently had a nearly fatal heart attack while playing basketball.
The patient, a 33-year-old-man, lost consciousness and collapsed after having a sudden full cardiac arrest while playing basketball with his colleagues. His colleagues called an ambulance and began performing first aid (cardiopulmonary resuscitation). The ambulance arrived within five minutes and transferred the man to Hamad General Hospital's Emergency Department.
Dr Ibrahim Fawzy Hassan, Director, Medical Intensive Care Unit, Deputy Medical Director, Ambulance Service, and Clinical Lead, Corporate ECMO Program, said the combination of a skilled multidisciplinary team and an innovative technology saved the patient's life. The technology, called ECMO (Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation), was able to take over the functions of the heart and lungs, essentially breathing for the patient by pumping oxygenated blood to vital organs.
'The ECMO technology acts as the patient's lungs and heart, ensuring they get enough oxygen by circulating their blood outside of the body. HMC is one of only a handful of health systems in this region that uses the technology, which requires specialised training to operate. This technology, coupled with the teamwork of clinicians from across HMC, was instrumental in saving the patient's life. His successful recovery is a testament to the skill and resourcefulness of our dedicated team and we are all thrilled that he is doing so well, said Dr Hassan.
The ECMO technology provided the time needed to stabilise the patient's condition until he could be transferred to Heart Hospital, HMC's specialist cardiology and cardiothoracic surgery hospital. Once at Heart Hospital, the patient underwent open heart surgery and two weeks later was discharged in good health.
Speaking during a Grand Round (a formal meeting at which physicians discuss the clinical case of one or more patients) held last week at HMC, Dr Hassan recognised the skill and quick action of the clinicians involved, stating that international research indicates only a small proportion of patients who experience a sudden cardiac arrest outside the hospital survive. He said the poor survival rate is largely the result of delays in calling for an ambulance, not providing proper first aid, and lack of access to technology such as ECMO.
Dr Alhady Yusof, a Senior Consultant, Medical Intensive Care at Hamad General Hospital, said the patient's positive outcome demonstrates the power of working together as a cohesive team to deliver comprehensive care.
Dr Yousef, together with the ECMO team, led by Dr Abdul Salam Saif, Dr Abdul Rahman El Arabi, Consultant Cardiologist, Dr Amr Salah, Anaesthesiologist and Critical Care Consultant, and Dr Abdul Wahed Al Mulla, Consultant Cardiac Surgeon were part of the multidisciplinary team of Ambulance Service staff and clinicians from the Emergency, Anaesthesiology, and Surgery Departments at Hamad General and Heart Hospital who cared for the patient.
HMC first began using ECMO technology four years ago. To date, around a hundred patients have benefited from the lifesaving treatment. The highly-specialised therapy requires a multidisciplinary team of specialised physicians and nurses.
MENAFN2201201800630000ID1096380948
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.