Jaber Hospital Successfully Performs First Aortic Valve Replacement in the Middle East
(KUNA) – A specialized medical team at Jaber Al-Ahmad Hospital successfully performed an advanced transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) procedure via the carotid artery in the neck. The operation was a success, the patient’s condition stabilized, and he was discharged from the hospital just two days after the procedure, marking a medical first in the Middle East.
The Ministry of Health stated in a press release on Wednesday that the procedure was broadcast live via satellite as part of the Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapies – Middle East conference, where it was presented to a distinguished group of experts and specialists in interventional cardiology. This national achievement, accomplished by national competencies, reflects the advanced level reached in catheterization services and heart valve treatment in Kuwait.
The ministry explained that the procedure was performed on a Kuwaiti citizen in his seventies who suffered from severe aortic valve stenosis, weakened heart muscle, renal failure, and severe blockages in the arteries of both lower limbs. These conditions precluded the traditional femoral approach for valve replacement, and his overall health status was unsuitable for open-heart surgery.
It added that the medical team used the carotid artery in the neck as an alternative access route to reach the heart and implant the valve, requiring precise coordination between interventional cardiology and vascular surgery.
The ministry noted that transcatheter valve replacement via the carotid artery is a modern, advanced technique used in selected cases when the femoral arteries are unsuitable for catheter delivery. This approach enables the treatment of patients with high surgical risk through a minimally invasive intervention, without the need for open-heart surgery.
It highlighted that the medical team included Dr. Ali Sabah and Dr. Mohammed Al-Turki from the structural heart catheterization team, in collaboration with Dr. Ahmed Al-Emir from the vascular surgery team, all within the Heart Unit team, which includes Dr. Ziyad Al-Khudeir, Head of the Cardiac Laboratory, and Dr. Fawzia Al-Kandari, Head of the Heart Unit.
The ministry indicated that this achievement extends the successes of the Heart Valve Treatment Program at Jaber Al-Ahmad Hospital, which launched in September 2024 and has successfully performed more than 100 transcatheter aortic valve replacement procedures over the past 18 months.
The ministry stated that the program provides a comprehensive system for assessing and treating patients with structural heart diseases through minimally invasive interventions, without the need for open-heart surgery in suitable cases. It also offers treatment for the mitral and tricuspid valves using transcatheter clip technology.
It affirmed that this achievement reflects the competence of national medical staff, the integration of specialized teams, and the adoption of the latest therapeutic technologies, thereby expanding treatment options for complex and intractable cases and enhancing the quality of specialized healthcare in Kuwait.
