'I have my life back': Sudanese teenager recovering after heart operation in Dubai

Doctors treating Mazin Muntassir Hassan identified life-threatening condition that had gone undetected since birth

Mazin Muntassir Hassan with relatives and Dr Naveed Ahmed and members of the cardiology team at Aster Hospital Mankhool in Dubai. Photo: Aster DM Healthcare

A Sudanese teenager has thanked doctors in Dubai for "helping me get my life back" after he underwent a critical operation for a heart defect that had gone undetected since birth.

UAE resident Mazin Muntassir Hassan, 14, was found to have a congenital condition that could have been deadly if left untreated. The issue was diagnosed after he was taken to Aster Hospital Mankhool in Dubai recently with persistent fatigue and elevated blood pressure. He had also blacked out.

His symptoms raised the alarm among the medical team and led to further tests being carried out. Mazin was found to have coarctation of the aorta, in which the major artery carrying blood from the heart to the body is narrowed.

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While the condition is not uncommon, it occurs in about one in every 2,900 births, a diagnosis in a teenage patient is extremely rare.

Mazin was under the care of Dr Naveed Ahmed, head of cardiology at Aster hospitals and consultant interventional cardiologist at Aster Hospital Mankhool. "Coarctation of the aorta is typically diagnosed during infancy or early childhood," Dr Ahmed said.

"It’s extremely rare to catch it this late and had it gone unnoticed for a few more years, it could have led to permanent hypertension, heart failure, or even stroke. While the procedure itself was technically smooth due to precise pre-procedural planning based on CT imaging, the true complexity of this case lies in the delayed diagnosis.

"Identifying and successfully treating the condition in adolescence after years of being missed made it both clinically challenging and unique.”

Instead of open-heart surgery, the cardiology team opted for a minimally invasive coarctoplasty with stent placement, performed through the femoral artery. The procedure involved the insertion of a balloon-mounted stent to open the narrowed section of the aorta.

The approach helps to reduce the amount of time a patients needs to remain in hospital and improves their recovery time. Mazin is expected to be able to resume full physical activity within weeks.

New lease of life

Mazin's mother and brother, who accompanied him during treatment, expressed their thanks to Dr Ahmed and his team for their care. The teenager is now expected to lead a normal life, although he will require routine follow-ups.

“Before the treatment, I felt tired all the time and couldn’t play or do normal things like other kids," he said. "Now I feel healthy and strong again. I’m so grateful to Dr Naveed and the team at Aster Hospital Mankhool for helping me get my life back.”