A Moroccan medical team has implanted the very first successful Heart-Mate 3 Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD) in Morocco in a 68-year-old patient. The surgery, performed at the International Private Hospital in Casablanca under the supervision of Dr. Mohammed Al Amrani, a UK-trained heart surgeon with 25 years of experience, is expected to “restore a normal life” to the patient who had been suffering from a severe heart condition, Dr. Al Amrani told M24.
With all other treatments having failed, the only options for this patient were a heart transplant or the ventricular assist surgery, essentially giving the patient an artificial heart, he said.
Dr. Al Amrani underlined the game changing nature of having this new device available in Morocco. It is often difficult to find organs in Morocco, and even when they are available, a heart transplant patient may have potential immunological problems that result in rejection of the organ. In addition, going overseas for surgeries is a challenge.
LVAD technology advancements have made this heart assist surgery a realistic alternative, opening the door for heart failure treatments in the country.
Dr. Ismail Ismail, a Moroccan cardiological surgeon who practiced medicine for 10 years in Germany before returning to Morocco, commended the patient’s family’s determination and extensive preparation required for the treatment to facilitate the patient’s transition to life with the LVAD.
Dr. Al Amrani’s 100% Moroccan team of anesthesiologists, cardiac surgeons, cardiologists, radiologists, and nurses has completed over 1,500 heart procedures in the last four years, according to Dr. Ismail.