A medical-surgical team at the Mohammed V Military Hospital in Rabat has successfully implanted the first long-term cardio-circulatory support in a 39-year-old patient suffering from end-stage chronic heart failure.
This surgery is part of mechanical circulatory assistance, commonly known as LVAD (Left Ventricular Assist Device). It is an open-heart surgical procedure where the surgeon inserts an electric pump at the tip of the heart, precisely at the left ventricle, wherefrom it draws blood and injects it into the aorta. This pump is connected by a cable to an external control module powered by two rechargeable batteries.
This revolutionary technique, used in America, Europe and Asia, is an alternative to heart transplant, which is limited by a worldwide shortage of grafts.
The patient in question with end-stage heart failure could no longer lead a normal life, facing major difficulties in carrying out everyday tasks.
This pathology, which would also considerably reduce life expectancy, necessitated the patient to be frequently hospitalized for bouts of heart failure.
Colonel Younes Moutakiallah, Head of the Cardiac Surgery Department, stressed that this operation falls in line with the enlightened vision of HM King Mohammed VI, Supreme Commander and Chief of Staff of the Royal Armed Forces (FAR), who is particularly keen on offering the best care to Moroccan citizens, benefiting from the latest medical techniques.
The medical intervention was carried out by a multidisciplinary medical-surgical team from the Mohammed V Military Hospital, specifically from the Cardiology Center which the Sovereign inaugurated in 2017, the cardiac surgeon on the staff who achieved this medical feat added.
This is the first successful implantation in the Kingdom, as the patient fully recovered a month following the surgery and is currently undergoing a rehabilitation and recovery program, Professor Moutakiallah enthused.
He added that this marks the start of a process that will make this type of therapy accessible to all, noting that Morocco boasts all the skills required to carry out implant operations to the highest international standards.
To be eligible for this surgery, which lasts an average of 4 hours, the patient, who undergoes a pre-surgical and pre-operative evaluation, must have good right ventricular and aortic valve function.
Following this surgery, the patient requires cardiac rehabilitation sessions three to four times a week, checkups every few weeks during the first few months, anticoagulants to prevent blood clotting, regular and meticulous care at the device exit point to avoid infection and enable him to lead an active life.
The lucky beneficiary of this medical innovation, Master Corporal Mohammed Zorgane, expressed his delight at being able to resume his normal life, pointing out that before the operation, he suffered from chronic fatigue, heart palpitations, pain and shortness of breath at the slightest effort, in addition to insomnia.
He expressed his gratitude to HM King Mohammed VI for the Sovereign’s high esteem for Moroccan citizens, and his thanks to the medical team for their efforts in ensuring the success of the operation.
Through this achievement, Morocco is now on the shortlist of countries equipped to treat and monitor any national or international patient who has undergone surgery to implant a left ventricular assist device.
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