ADM NEWS | Under supervision of Department of Health — Abu Dhabi (DoH), UAE’s first paediatric cardiac biopsy completed at SEHA/”>SEHA Sheikh Khalifa Medical City (SKMC)
A four-year-old patient who received a heart transplant abroad in 2023 underwent a cardiac biopsy at SKMC carried out by Dr Rizwan Rehman, Consultant Paediatric and Interventional Cardiologist at SKMC, together with Dr Joshua Philip Kanter, Consultant Interventional Cardiologist at Children’s National Hospital, USA.
Dr Joshua Philip Kanter, Consultant Physician – Interventional Cardiologist at Children’s National Hospital, USA, said: “This cardiac biopsy marks a significant milestone for Sheikh Khalifa Medical City and for paediatric transplant care in the UAE. This is the first time SKMC has successfully conducted the procedure for a paediatric heart transplant patient who had previously received her transplant and follow-up care abroad.”
By providing specialised care in Abu Dhabi, the emirate’s Visiting Physician Programme allows families to stay close to home and surrounded by their support networks. The achievement reflects decades of collaboration with Children’s National Hospital and highlights the impact of international partnerships in advancing paediatric care.
The mother of the four-year-old girl expressed her gratitude: “When my daughter was a year and a half old, SKMC discovered she had a weakened heart muscle. That was the beginning of a long and difficult journey – from Abu Dhabi to abroad. I always prayed that she could be treated inside the country, close to home. Today, that prayer was answered. Thanks to God, our doctors, and our leaders, my daughter is back in my arms after a journey I never imagined would end in such joy.”
Since the beginning of 2025, the emirate has welcomed 47 visiting specialists and esteemed international experts as part of the DoH Visiting Physician Programme, who have conducted 270 advanced surgical procedures and provided consultations and treatment to 2,200 patients with rare and complex medical cases.
