JEDDAH — Saudi Arabia announced the first ever successful operation to transplant a SynCardia temporary Total Artificial Heart.

The transplant was carried out by the King Abdulaziz Cardiac Center (KACC) at King Abdulaziz Medical City of Jeddah, which is a subsidiary of the Health Affairs of the Ministry of National Guard.

The beneficiary of the transplant is a 28-year-old Saudi patient, who was suffering from severe weakness in the heart muscle, and his condition was considered as one of the most complicated cases. After the transplant, the patient is currently in a stable condition, and is undergoing rehabilitation and careful medical follow-up.

Before the transplant, his health condition did not allow the use of an auxiliary support pump such as Berlin Heart or HeartMate, which are the standard methods for treating such cases. Berlin Heart is ventricular assist device that mechanically supports the hearts of patients with end-stage heart failure while HeartMate is an advanced left ventricular assist device (LVAD) approved for use in advanced heart failure patients who require short or long-term mechanical cardiovascular support such as bridge to transplant (BTT) or destination therapy (DT).

The patient was also not in a position to undergo a heart transplant from a donor, due to the presence of multiple and complex medical reasons that prevent the use of these solutions. When a donor heart isn’t an available option, the SynCardia temporary Total Artificial Heart (TAH-t) can provide a new temporary heart while waiting for a transplant. It is said to be the world’s only clinically proven and commercially approved Total Artificial Heart, which has been in clinical use for more than 35 years.

It is noteworthy that complete artificial heart transplant is considered as one of the most complex therapeutic procedures in the world. It requires high proficiency, vast experience and extraordinary skills of the medical staff, capabilities and equipment at the latest level and this is what distinguishes the King Abdulaziz Cardiac Center with its qualified Saudi staff.

KACC is one of the leading centers in the Middle East for contemporary cardiac care. It has comprehensive programs for managing an entire spectrum of cardiac diseases for all ages. KACC is an internationally accredited center that provides a complete range of high-quality clinical, educational, and research activities.

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