Amid the war and security tensions facing #Lebanon, a remarkable medical achievement passed largely unnoticed. A Lebanese physician, working in one of the country’s hospitals, made a significant advance in cardiology by successfully implanting a heart valve without resorting to open-heart surgery — marking an important step forward in cardiac treatment techniques in the country.
For the first time in Lebanon, a transcatheter implantation of a self-expanding pulmonary valve (one of the heart’s valves) was performed. The valve was inserted through the skin without the use of a balloon and positioned directly within the pulmonary artery. The procedure was carried out by Professor Zakhia Saliba at #HôtelDieu de France Hospital, using an advanced technique considered an alternative to open-heart surgery.
The procedure was performed on a patient in her thirties. This technique can generally be applied to most age groups, except for children under the age of ten or those weighing less than 30 kilograms. The achievement stands as another indicator of the Lebanese medical sector’s ability to keep pace with the latest global developments despite the difficult circumstances the country is facing.1h
