SKMC PULSE Issue No. 8 - Sheikh Khalifa Medical City

Pediatric Cardiac Program atSheikh Khalifa Medical CityThe large young population of the UAE and the critical needs of pediatricpatients with congenital heart disease dictated the need for a nationalservice center in pediatric cardiac care. With its Pediatric Cardiac Program,SKMC is able to treat neonates and children suffering from cardiac problemsin the UAE; rather than sending them abroad for treatment. As most of thesenewborns would require immediate surgical interference after birth, theexistence of such a program saves their lives and minimizes their sufferingby providing them with a healing environment amongst their families andculture.SKMC’s Pediatric Cardiac Program team consists of internationally recognizedpediatric cardiac surgeons, pediatric cardiologists, cardiac intensive care andanesthesia physicians. The team has access to a Pediatric Cardiac OperatingRoom, Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (PCICU) with a capacity of 9 bedssupported by High Dependency Unit (HDU) of 5 beds, the pediatric wardsand auxiliary service of a pediatric cardiac catheterization laboratory, noninvasivecardiology and outpatient clinics.SKMC’s Pediatric Cardiac Surgery Program is the only pediatric cardiactreatment center in the UAE that provides its services around the clock,offering complex neonatal cardiac repairs. With more than 55 arterial switchoperations and almost 50 hybrid procedures performed since its openingin April 2007, the program has more than 900 procedures in its records.Moreover, several first of its kind surgeries in the UAE were successfullyperformed by SKMC’s Pediatric Cardiac Surgery team during the past threeyears, such as a modified Norwood-1 operation for hypoplastic left heartsyndrome (HLHS), Damus-Kaye-Stansel operation, double switch operation,Ross-procedure and baby-Ross procedure with homograft implantation.Moreover, the team performs all kinds of open heart surgeries for neonates.Since two-third of our patient population is neonates and/or infants lessthan six months of age, the median complexity of cases far exceeds thatof the international average. When compared to standards of internationaldatabases (e.g. European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery (EACTS)Congenital Database), SKMC’s results are superior, both in terms of survivalrate and length of stay.Pediatric Cardiac Surgeries: Complexity ChartSimple21%MostSimple16%MostComplex45%Complex18%6