ع
The Ministry of Health reported that the newly launched program at the Salman Al-Dabbous Cardiac Center coincided with a specialized workshop as two catheter-based tricuspid valve replacements were completed. The procedures accessed the heart through the jugular vein in the neck with an opening no larger than one centimeter. Patients left the center the following morning in stable condition after showing noticeable improvement in heart function.
The valve disease team at the center was led by consultant in valve and structural heart disease Dr. Al-Tayeb Al-Qallaf. He was supported by consultant cardiologist and echocardiography specialist Dr. Ali Al-Humaidan along with cardiologist Dr. Ibrahim Hussein Arzoun and Dr. Mohammad Abdulshafi. Anesthesia and intensive care teams provided additional support under the direction of cardiology department head Dr. Bader Al-Ayyad, Dr. Huda Al-Fodari and Dr. Mohammad Shamsah.
Kuwait’s Ministry of Health said the program launch received backing from Minister of Health Dr. Ahmad Abdulwahab Al-Awadhi and Undersecretary of the Ministry of Health Sheikh Dr. Salman Khalifa Al-Sabah. The two patients treated were Kuwaiti women in their late 70s who had been suffering from severe tricuspid valve regurgitation accompanied by early stage liver fibrosis. Both women were discharged the day after their respective procedures.
A Ken Research assessment placed the value of the Kuwait tricuspid valve repair market at $12 million with transcatheter approaches seeing a 30 percent rise in utilization over the past two years. The consultancy attributed the expansion to growing prevalence of valve disease, improved surgical methods and the development of specialized cardiac facilities across the country. Ministerial Resolution No. 79 of 2022 established licensing standards for cardiac centers that include requirements for catheterization labs and multidisciplinary teams.
An earlier milestone occurred on October 4 when Kuwait Times reported that the first transcatheter tricuspid valve implantation in the country was completed at the Chest Diseases Hospital. That procedure followed two years of preparation including specialized training and attendance at international conferences according to the cardiology department head at the facility. The development of such advanced interventions reflects ongoing efforts by Kuwaiti health authorities to expand access to cutting-edge cardiac care.
The LuX-Valve Plus device employed in the Adan Hospital cases represents one of the newer options for transcatheter tricuspid valve replacement according to details released by the Ministry of Health. The jugular vein approach offers a less invasive alternative to traditional open-heart surgery for patients who often present with multiple comorbidities. Medical teams in Kuwait have increasingly adopted these techniques as part of broader upgrades to the national healthcare infrastructure.
