With new technique, Pinay with heart ailment makes quick recovery in UAE
A Filipina made a swift recovery from a congenital heart ailment after undergoing an advanced and minimally invasive procedure in the United Arab Emirates.
Marissa Soriano, 36, underwent the procedure in Al Noor to fix a hole in her heart wall, UAE news site Khaleej Times reported Thursday.
“I have been suffering for a long time from chest pain and difficulty in breathing, even with a simple activity such as routine walking. I would feel tired just after taking a few steps,” she said.
She also said she had been uncomfortable with the conventional procedure that involves the breastbone being split open.
Last month, she decided to undergo the surgery after extensive research.
Dr. Norbert Augustin, a consultant cardiac surgeon at Al Noor Hospital, said the Filipina had suffered shortness of breath and was diagnosed with Atrial Septal Defect (ASD), a hole in the wall between the two upper chambers of the heart.
Agustin, who is also head of Cardiac Sciences at Al Noor Hospital Airport Road, performed a two-and-a-half-hour surgery using an "advanced minimally invasive technique” where he accessed the heart directly using an incision measuring 6 by 8 cm.
Such a technique allows a shorter hospital stay and faster recovery time, he said.
"(The) patient was able to breathe on her own only four hours after surgery and was discharged from the hospital four days later,” he said.
He added he is "almost the only one" in the UAE doing such a minimally invasive technique.
Agustin said cases like Soriano's are usually detected during childhood, and the best time to close the hole is at five years.
"But in some patients, doctors don’t detect these things which means adults have congenital heart disease,” he said. —Joel Locsin/KBK, GMA News
Marissa Soriano, 36, underwent the procedure in Al Noor to fix a hole in her heart wall, UAE news site Khaleej Times reported Thursday.
“I have been suffering for a long time from chest pain and difficulty in breathing, even with a simple activity such as routine walking. I would feel tired just after taking a few steps,” she said.
She also said she had been uncomfortable with the conventional procedure that involves the breastbone being split open.
Last month, she decided to undergo the surgery after extensive research.
Dr. Norbert Augustin, a consultant cardiac surgeon at Al Noor Hospital, said the Filipina had suffered shortness of breath and was diagnosed with Atrial Septal Defect (ASD), a hole in the wall between the two upper chambers of the heart.
Agustin, who is also head of Cardiac Sciences at Al Noor Hospital Airport Road, performed a two-and-a-half-hour surgery using an "advanced minimally invasive technique” where he accessed the heart directly using an incision measuring 6 by 8 cm.
Such a technique allows a shorter hospital stay and faster recovery time, he said.
"(The) patient was able to breathe on her own only four hours after surgery and was discharged from the hospital four days later,” he said.
He added he is "almost the only one" in the UAE doing such a minimally invasive technique.
Agustin said cases like Soriano's are usually detected during childhood, and the best time to close the hole is at five years.
"But in some patients, doctors don’t detect these things which means adults have congenital heart disease,” he said. —Joel Locsin/KBK, GMA News
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