Braveheart: Beating heart bypass at 88

Sultan Al Kaabi, an 88-year-old Emirati, has become the oldest patient to undergo successful beating heat bypass surgery in Dubai, according to American Hospital, Dubai.

Just six days after undergoing a high risk, four vessel beating heart bypass operation, Sultan Al Kaabi was able to leave hospital with no more than the aid of a walking stick, having made a very successful recovery from the major surgery, says hospital officials.

Sultan became Dubai’s oldest patient to undergo this complex procedure, in which the heart continues to beat whilst the surgeon performs the delicate surgery, at the Heart Center at the American Hospital Dubai.

Dr Fouad Azoury, Chairman of the Cardiothoracic Surgery Department at the Heart Center, who performed the surgery on Sultan, says, “Every beating heart bypass surgery carries an element of risk and this risk increases with age. It is relatively rare to perform a heart bypass operation on a patient of this age. However, when we met Sultan and saw his passion for life, our multidisciplinary team collectively agreed to accept the challenge in this case. The speed of his recovery is testament to his determination and strength of spirit.”

Describing his feelings following the successful heart operation, Sultan Al Kaabi said, “I am very grateful to the American Hospital Dubai for agreeing to perform this operation and for the skill and care that I have received. Other hospitals had refused to operate because of my age but after the consultation with the team at the Heart Center, we all agreed to accept the risk and I am delighted with the result of the operation, which saved my life.”