Sana'a: A medical team at the University of Sana'a Heart and Catheterization Center successfully performed a complex, life-saving procedure on a young man suffering from a high-risk acute pulmonary embolism. Led by the center's director, Dr. Salah Al-Shawki, the team intervened after clot-dissolving medication failed, leaving the patient in critical condition.
According to Yemen News Agency, the emergency procedure involved catheter-directed thrombus aspiration and mechanical thrombectomy, two of the most advanced techniques used worldwide to treat acute pulmonary embolism. The team successfully reopened the blocked pulmonary artery and restored blood flow, leading to a rapid improvement in the patient's condition. He was transferred from the intensive care unit to a regular ward the following day and was later discharged home in stable health.
Dr. Al-Shawki attributed the achievement to teamwork among the center's medical, nursing, and technical staff, along with the use of the latest cardiac catheterization and vascular intervention techniques. He noted that acute pulmonary embolism is a life-threatening condition requiring rapid diagnosis and treatment, adding that the University Heart and Catheterization Center continues to expand its specialized services through qualified Yemeni professionals using modern medical standards, helping reduce the need for patients to seek treatment abroad.
The center added that the procedure was performed at a symbolic cost of just $150, compared with around $8,000 at many medical centers outside Yemen, highlighting the humanitarian and national role of the institution.