Al Qassimi Hospital in Sharjah, an affiliate of Emirates Health Services (EHS), welcomed a delegation of doctors from Austria, Italy, and Switzerland to its Cardiac Electrophysiology Department to train them to implant permanent leadless pacemakers, through training workshops – the first to be held outside the United States and North America.
Dr. Essam Al Zarouni, Acting Executive Director of the Medical Services Sector at EHS, asserted: “Organising these training workshops for visiting doctors reflects the advanced position that Al Qassimi Hospital has come to occupy regionally and internationally. With the dedicated support provided Emirates Health Services provides, the Hospital has become a renowned medical and scientific institution that provides health and treatment services in accordance with the highest international standards, as well as a pioneer in practical medical sciences, particularly in the field of implanting permanent pacemakers.”
“EHS constantly strives to provide its affiliated facilities with the latest and most advanced medical technologies. In the case of Al Qassimi Hospital in Sharjah, we were keen to establish a cardiology centre, equipped with the latest technologies in interventional heart treatment, such as installing permanent pacemakers, among others. The objective is to offer the best possible medical services to heart patients in the UAE, in line with the ‘We the UAE 2031’ national vision, which aims, among other things, to enhance the quality of healthcare, as well as in order to achieve the objectives of the UAE Centennial 2071 Plan,” Dr. Al Zarouni added.
For his part, Dr. Arif Al Nooryani, CEO of Al Qassimi Hospital, said: “Building on the series of successes Al Qassimi Hospital has achieved in the field of surgeries and treatments over the years, which have positioned it among the world’s leading medical establishments, the hospital organised training workshops for to train doctors visiting from various European countries to use this new technology. This affirms the advanced capabilities that Al Qassimi Hospital has come to possess, which qualifies it to offer medical solutions and treatments for various diseases without surgical intervention in many cases.”
“This type of permanent pacemaker is the latest and most advanced of its kind, and is installed without surgery using intravenous catheters through the skin. This helps reduce the risk of complications associated with implanting traditional permanent pacemakers, which include infections, pneumothorax, and others,” Dr. Al Nooryani added.
Dr. Al Nooryani went on to explain that in 2021, the cardiology centre at Al Qassimi Hospital obtained international accreditation for the pacemaker implantation AV Block program for heart patients who suffer from a slow heart rate, and is one of the leading centres in the region, the Middle East, and the world in implanting this type of leadless pacemaker. He also noted that the first permanent leadless pacemaker was implanted in November 2015, and more than 160 leadless pacemakers have been implanted to date.
As for the new type of permanent leadless pacemakers (AVEIR), Dr. Al Nooryani asserted that the Cardiology Centre at Al Qassimi Hospital is the first establishment outside the United States and North America to install them, pointing out that the first device was being implanted in December 2022, and many more having been implanted since.
Led by Dr. Mohamed Magdy, Head of Cardiac Electrophysiology and Pacing Department at Al Qassimi Hospital, the training workshops offered a detailed explanation and educational videos, as well as a presentation about the virtual procedures simulator, and observing live cases in the catheterisation room for patients suffering from kidney failure. The workshops included an educational explanation, after which the doctors were granted an accredited certificate from Emirates Health Services.