Idlib, April 19 (SANA) A team of Syrian doctors based in Chicago, United States, has carried out a number of advanced surgical procedures at the SAMS Heart Diseases and Cardiac Surgery Hospital in Idlib, as part of the organization’s April medical mission to the facility.
Dr. Hassan al-Khawam, an interventional cardiologist and heart valve specialist, told SANA that the delegation includes an integrated team of Syrian physicians residing in the United States, comprising five cardiologists, two surgeons, anesthesiologists and transesophageal echocardiography specialists.
He said the mission focuses on performing catheter-based valve replacement procedures and surgical valve replacement operations, with treatment decisions made jointly by specialists according to each patient’s condition.
Al-Khawam noted that some of the procedures are being performed in Syria for the first time, while others remain extremely rare because of their complexity, high cost and need for a highly specialized multidisciplinary team.
He added that resident doctors in training are also participating and receiving practical instruction on the foundations and early stages of these procedures.
Advanced procedures in coming days
The mission is scheduled to continue performing a range of specialized heart procedures in the coming days, including:
- heart valve repair
- closure of cardiac defects through catheterization
- mitral valve dilation using minimally invasive techniques
Dr. Ibrahim Qassas, an internal cardiology specialist, said the mission builds on last summer’s campaign, during which the team performed an aortic valve replacement via catheterization.
He added that this year’s program includes new interventions for correcting and widening the mitral valve.
Training local staff
Qassas said the campaign will continue until next Thursday and aims not only to treat patients, but also to gradually introduce advanced medical technologies used internationally into Syria.
He stressed that structured training for local medical staff is a key goal, enabling Syrian teams to independently perform such operations in the future.
About SAMS
The Syrian American Medical Society (SAMS) is a global nonprofit humanitarian medical relief organization providing healthcare and medical education in Syria.
Founded in 1998 by Syrian-American physicians, the organization works to deliver medical and humanitarian assistance to communities in need.
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