Coordinated intervention across multidisciplinary emergency, cardiac intensive care, surgery and anaesthesia teams helps manage life-threatening complications following major trauma
Abu Dhabi, UAE, September 2026 – SEHA, a subsidiary of PureHealth, the largest healthcare group in the Middle East, announced that SEHA’s Sheikh Tahnoon Bin Mohammed Medical City (STMC) successfully managed a life-threatening trauma case involving a patient who arrived at the Emergency Department with multiple injuries following a motorcycle accident and later developed critical complications requiring urgent intervention.
The patient was admitted with severe chest trauma and a pelvic fracture, and shortly after arrival suffered cardiac arrest caused by tension pneumothorax. The Emergency Department (ED) team immediately initiated cardiopulmonary resuscitation, while a thoracic consultant promptly inserted a chest tube, resulting in the return of spontaneous circulation.
Recognising the severity of the condition, the team transferred the patient urgently to the operating theatre, where a massive haemothorax was controlled while the patient remained in shock. Following initial stabilisation, the patient was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit. Within hours, however, the condition deteriorated again, with profound shock requiring multiple inotropes and vasopressors.
A rapid reassessment in the Cardiac ICU identified obstructive shock secondary to cardiac tamponade, a life-threat
ening emergency requiring immediate intervention. With the patient at risk of losing cardiac output, contingency measures were prepared, including bedside needle aspiration as a temporary measure and arrangements for mechanical chest compression support if cardiac arrest recurred.
At the same time, cardiac surgery and cardiac anaesthesia teams were urgently engaged, and the operating room team was activated without delay. In a highly coordinated response, the ICU room was converted into an emergency procedural space within minutes, allowing a small but critical chest incision to be performed to evacuate the compressive blood clot surrounding the heart.
The procedure was rapid and lifesaving. Almost immediately after relief of the obstruction, the patient’s haemodynamic status improved significantly. Recovery thereafter was equally notable, with extubation the following day, continued clinical improvement, mobilisation to a chair, and subsequent discharge from the ICU. The patient was later transferred to the rehabilitation unit to continue physiotherapy for the pelvic fracture.
Dr. Ali Al Alshamsi, Head of Cardiovascular Department at SEHA’s Sheikh Tahnoon Bin Mohammed Medical City, said: “This case reflects the decisive role of rapid clinical assessment, early escalation, and seamless coordination in managing life-threatening trauma. From the moment the patient arrived at the Emergency Department, teams across emergency medicine, cardiothoracic surgery, anaesthesia, intensive care, and cardiac care worked together with speed and precision. Their readiness, professionalism, and unified focus were critical to controlling the cardiac injury and saving the patient’s life.”
Dr. Tamer Montaser, Cardiac Intensive Care and ECMO Consultant Lead at SEHA’s Sheikh Tahnoon Bin Mohammed Medical City, said: “This case reflects the importance of early recognition, timely escalation and seamless teamwork in the management of critical trauma. Most importantly, it demonstrates our unwavering commitment to delivering high-quality care, even in the most complex and life-threatening situations. Stories like this reaffirm our mission and highlight the expertise, dedication and coordination that define our teams.”
This case highlights several of STMC’s core strengths, including multidisciplinary teamwork, early recognition of clinical deterioration, rapid escalation, structured emergency response, and readiness to perform lifesaving interventions without delay. It also reflects SEHA’s continued dedication to strengthening advanced trauma and critical care pathways across Abu Dhabi and the UAE.
About PureHealth:
PureHealth is the largest healthcare group in the Middle East with an ecosystem that challenges lifespans and reimagines health spans. With 110+ hospitals, 316+ clinics, multiple diagnostic s, health insurance solutions, pharmacies, health tech, procurement, investments, and more, its groundbreaking innovations are at the forefront of healthcare. The company is on a mission to unlock time for humankind. By advancing the science of longevity, PureHealth is introducing the healthcare of the future from the United Arab Emirates to the rest of the world.
PureHealth’s network comprises:
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- SEHA – One of the largest healthcare networks of hospitals and clinics in the UAE
- SEHA CLINICS – Delivering comprehensive community-based healthcare services
- Daman (The National Insurance Company) – The UAE’s leading health insurer
- The Medical Office – Overseeing Sheikh Khalifa Hospitals and healthcare facilities established under the initiatives of H.H. The President of the UAE
- Rafed – The UAE’s largest healthcare Group Purchasing Organisation
- PureLab – Managing and operating the largest network of laboratories in the region
- One Health – A network that provides end-to-end medical solutions to a base of over 300 healthcare service providers
- The Life Corner – Abu Dhabi’s first holistic pharmacy, serving the health and wellness establishment
- Ardent Health Services – The fourth largest privately held acute care hospital operator in the US
- Circle Health Group – The largest independent operators of hospitals in the UK
- Hellenic Healthcare Group (HHG) – the largest private healthcare provider in Greece and Cyprus
- PureCS – A leading cloud and technology services provider, specialising in IT management and consulting solutions, cybersecurity, cloud services and AI information systems
- Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City (SSMC) – The UAE’s largest healthcare complex, delivering integrated complex care
About SEHA:
SEHA is an independent, public joint stock company created to develop the curative activities of the public healthcare system in Abu Dhabi. The company operates a big number of the public hospitals and clinics of the emirate of Abu Dhabi. SEHA is a PureHealth asset, the largest healthcare platform in the Middle East.
SEHA is committed to continuously improving of customer care to recognised international standards and providing the community with world-class healthcare. SEHA operates 14 hospitals with over 2600 beds, 70 ambulatory care, family care, urgent care, 6 dialysis s, and 4 blood banks. Its facilities accommodate 132,000 inpatients annually, conduct 52,000 surgeries, and treat more than 6.7 million outpatients.
SEHA is one of the largest integrated healthcare providers in the Middle East, with more than 20,000 doctors, nurses, ancillary care, and administrative personnel.
To find out more about SEHA’s specialised clinic or book an appointment, call 80050 or visit SEHA.ae. You can also book an appointment through the SEHA mobile app or WhatsApp 02 410 2200.
