Muscat – An Omani medical team at The Royal Hospital’s National Heart Centre has successfully performed the sultanate’s first artificial heart implantation on a patient suffering from severe heart ailment – a major milestone in the nation’s healthcare history.

The complex four-hour procedure, led by Dr Waleed bin Amer al Badi and Dr Qasim bin Saleh al Abri, marks a new era in the treatment of advanced cardiac conditions in Oman. The patient, who had been battling debilitating heart failure, received post-operative care until her condition stabilised and has since been discharged in good health. She will continue to be monitored by a specialised cardiac team.

Dr Badi, consultant cardiac surgeon at Royal Hospital, informed that the artificial heart device was implanted on the left side of the heart to help it pump blood more efficiently to the rest of the body. “The procedure does not involve removing the natural heart,” he said. “It involves implanting a mechanical support device that enhances its performance and restores the patient’s energy and vitality.”

Dr Abri, also a consultant cardiac surgeon, said the procedure represents a significant advancement in Oman’s cardiac surgery capabilities. “Artificial heart implantation is a highly sophisticated treatment for patients with severe heart failure,” he noted. “It can serve as a bridge to a full heart transplant or as a permanent solution for those unable to get one.”

He added that such interventions aim to improve patients’ quality of life and reduce the symptoms that restrict their daily activities.

The patient expressed her gratitude to the surgical team, saying she had struggled with severe fatigue before the operation. “After the surgery, I feel like I have been given a new lease of life,” she said.

Artificial heart implantation – one of the world’s most advanced treatments for end-stage heart failure – is used globally as either a temporary measure before transplantation or a long-term therapy.

This achievement underscores Oman’s growing medical expertise and its commitment to developing specialised healthcare services and national talent in line with Oman Vision 2040.