Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology Program

Services within the Department of Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology are provided by highly skilled, fellowship trained Cardiothoracic Anesthesiologists.

All our physicians are trained to an advanced, accreditation level in perioperative transesophageal echocardiography. The team members are also highly trained experts in dealing with major bleeding, clotting abnormalities and major complex surgical procedures requiring various forms of organ support.

The Department of Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology provides anesthesiology services for:

• Adult cardiac surgery
• Thoracic surgery
• Complex major vascular surgery
• Heart, lung and liver transplants
• A rapidly growing and busy structural heart program involving:
  • Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacements (TAVR)
  • Percutaneous mitral and tricuspid valve procedures
  • Left atrial appendage occlusion.
• CHIP (Complex High-risk Indicated Procedures) procedures such as Impella and ECMO assisted PCIs
• Special procedures such as pulmonary thromboendarterectomy, robotic cardiac and thoracic surgery, Ventricular Assist Device (VAD) implantation
• High risk non-cardiac surgery for patients with cardiac problems.

Our team of expert cardiothoracic anesthesiologists play a leading role in our multiorgan transplant program, the only one of its kind in the UAE. The team were involved in the first ever heart, lung as well as liver transplants in the Emirates. We are proud of an active and well recognized involvement in our very busy and successful deceased and living related liver transplant program.

What We Do?

The mission of the cardiothoracic anesthesiology team is to provide compassionate patient care in the perioperative period, always adhering to the Patients First philosophy.

Before any surgical procedure, the cardiothoracic anesthesiologist performs an extensive review of a patient’s history and investigation results, followed by a face-to-face interaction with the patient. Based on the information gathered and in discussion with the surgeon, the anesthesiologist decides on an optimal anesthetic plan for each patient. Informed consent for anesthesia is always obtained after a thorough discussion of the anesthetic plan with the patient.

Cardiothoracic anesthesiologists, in addition to keeping the patient asleep during the surgery, also perform the vital task of maintaining adequate function of various organ systems at a satisfactory level. They also perform transesophageal echocardiography in every patient undergoing cardiac surgery at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi and this imaging is of valuable use to the surgeons in finalizing the surgical plan.