Zulekha Hospital Sharjah Successfully Treats 15-year-old girl child with a Pediatric Open Heart Surgery
First-ever pediatric cardiac surgery done by a private hospital in the UAE.

Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, XX October 2019: 15-year-old Ms. Shahma Kareem, was brought to Zulekha Hospital Sharjah when she complained of chest pain and shortness of breath. Due to a congenital heart defect, she had been facing this difficulty for over a period of one year but was never diagnosed earlier.

An atrial septal defect or ventricular septal defect causes too much blood to pass into the lungs causing an elevation in the pulmonary artery pressure and repeated chest infections. While more complex cases lead to de-oxygenation of the blood with bluish discolouration of the lips and nails, leading to complications if left unattended. Life expectancy depends on the type of lesion in the heart. Severe cases like transposition of great arteries where the positions of the pulmonary artery and the aorta are switched are fatal if untreated. Only 10% of those patients reach the age of one while patients undergoing treatment for an atrial septal defect may live up to 50 or 60 years of age.

Dr. Yasser Mohamed Menaissy – Consultant in Adult & Pediatric Cardiac Surgeries, performed a three-hour successful open-heart surgery on her, to close her congenital heart defect. Her Echocardiography revealed that her defect was not suitable to be closed by a device through an interventional procedure due to absence of a proper rim around the defect, thus an open-heart cardiac surgery was performed on Ms. Shahma. 

Dr. Yasser Menaissy says, “There could be a hereditary factor but it’s not a must for a parent with a congenital heart problem to have a child affected as well. We are glad with the positive outcome of the heart surgery after which the child resumes a 100% normal life. ” Shahma resumed her school and regular activities two weeks after the surgery. Post-surgery, the patients recover very well and they continue to lead their normal life. Once the heart is back to its normal state, those patients are normal people who grow up, get married and have children just like their peers.

Shahma’s father Mr. Kareem said, “I am very thankful to Dr Yasser and the team at Zulekha Hospital Sharjah for giving my daughter the best treatment and care. She is now performing her day to day activities with a renewed energy and is happier than before.”

Zulekha Hospital Sharjah is the first private hospital in the UAE to have performed a Pediatric Cardiac Surgery. The surgery cost was funded and supported by Emirates Red Crescent, RAK and Patients Friends Charitable House, Sharjah. 

According to WHO, an estimated 303 000 newborns die within 4 weeks of birth every year, worldwide, due to congenital anomalies. Congenital anomalies can contribute to long-term disability, which may have significant impacts on individuals, families, health-care systems, and societies. The most common, severe congenital anomalies are heart defects, neural tube defects and Down syndrome.

About Zulekha Healthcare Group www.zulekhahospitals.com

 Zulekha Healthcare Group is a Superbrand and among the forerunners in UAE healthcare. Today the Zulekha Healthcare Group includes two multidisciplinary hospitals in Dubai and Sharjah, as well as four UAE medical centres and three pharmacies providing specialised treatments in over 30 disciplines. The group also has a multidisciplinary hospital in India – Alexis. Zulekha Hospital has received extensive recognition for its commitment towards quality care and sustainable business practices, and recently received the prestigious Dubai Quality Award for the second time in four years, underling a commitment to providing high-quality healthcare to patients and society. 

Media Contact:
Sameena Khanam – Senior Manager PR and Communications
Zulekha Hospitals:  +971 6 5069254 (skhanam@zulekhahospitals.com)