Fontan procedures Cost in United Arab Emirates

The cost of the Fontan procedure in the UAE typically ranges from $5,500 to $20,000 USD, depending on the hospital, city, and type of procedure.

The Fontan procedure is the final stage of surgery for children born with only one working pumping chamber. It routes blood from the lower body directly to the lungs. In the UAE, the price depends on:

• Pre-operative catheter assessment
• Bypass and intensive care
• Hospital stay
• Lifelong follow-up

Major congenital heart operations often cost more than the range above.

According to the Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne, the Fontan is the third and last planned stage for children with one working pumping chamber, usually done at about four to five years of age after a Norwood operation in the newborn period and a Glenn connection at around three months. A catheter study checks the pressures in the lungs beforehand.

The Melbourne hospital explains that the Fontan circulation works without a pump to the lungs, and over time it can affect the gut (protein-losing enteropathy), liver, kidneys and lungs. Exercise capacity is reduced, and normal life expectancy is not expected.

Coverage for congenital heart treatment depends on the child's insurance plan; planned procedures need insurer prior approval under basic UAE plans. Sheikh Khalifa Medical City in Abu Dhabi lists complex neonatal and infant open-heart surgery among the services of its Children's Heart Institute, and Dubai Health has a paediatric cardiac surgery department.