SEHA Sheikh Khalifa Medical City Helps New-born Overcome Complex Heart Disease

A baby girl with heart failure is on the road to recovery in SEHA Sheikh Khalifa Medical City during which she has overcome a series of intricate health challenges, including multiple surgeries and cardiac catheterization interventional procedure.

Medical teams from different specialisms within the ”SEHA Sheikh Khalifa Medical City”, a subsidiary of PureHealth, the largest healthcare platform in the Middle East, worked together to give the girl, Luna, the best possible chance of survival. Doctors at SEHA Sheikh Khalifa Medical City (SKMC) described the case as a triumph of collaborative care, with experts from across SEHA’s network deploying advanced techniques and technologies alongside world-class care. 

Luna, who was suffering from complex heart disease, required a multidisciplinary approach to her care. After being born/After arriving at hospital, she was placed under the care of professionals and experts in paediatrics, cardiology, neonatal cardiac surgery, interventional cardiology, and cardiac surgery. 

Luna endured heart failure, colitis (where tissue in the bowel becomes inflamed) and seizures. Luna was then moved to general paediatrics where she was placed on ECMO life support and received aortic valve dilatation, which is a thickening of the valve between the heart's main pumping chamber and the body's main artery. While in paediatric ICU, Luna battled sepsis and underwent further surgery on her bowel. After weeks of recovery and observation, she was eventually discharged to begin her new life at home with her parents.  

Dr. Benedict Raj, Consultant Paediatric Cardiac Surgeon in SKMC, led the team caring for Luna. He commented: “Luna's story is incredibly special. Not only is it a tail of a courageous two-month-old overcoming a series of intricate health challenges; but it is also a story of medical professionals combining their knowledge and expertise in a way that brought together entire departments. From congenital heart issues to surgeries, seizures, and even small bowel perforation, Luna's resilience is truly remarkable. What sets her journey apart is the medical complexity but also the compassionate teamwork, employing interventions such as ECMO and

delicate procedures to help her navigate these challenges. It's a testament to Luna's strength and the dedication of the healthcare team working tirelessly to provide her with the best possible chance at a healthy life.” 

Dr. Toefig, Paediatric Cardiology Consultant and Congenital interventionist in SKMC, said: “SEHA’s network is incredibly powerful. The diversity and level of its expertise along with its advanced technologies and compassionate teams are behind every patient success story.” 

"It was an emotional rollercoaster when my baby Luna had to undergo heart surgery. But I must say, SEHA Sheikh Khalifa Medical City medical team was so compassionate and caring, that they made the process so much easier for us. The surgery went well, and my baby is now doing great. I can't thank SKMC enough for the outstanding care they provided. I felt supported and guided throughout the entire process and I'm truly grateful for the wonderful work that was done to save my child's life, Luna’s mother. " 

PureHealth’s network is redefining patient care in the UAE and elevating the country’s healthcare sector to be one of the best in the world. The group has invested heavily in some of the best doctors and technology available to enable people across the Emirates to live longer, healthier, happier and fuller lives.