Surgeons at the Tristate Hospital were said to have performed a coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) – off-pump and mitral valve replacement on four patients while their hearts were still beating.
Among the patients benefiting from this pioneering procedure was an 81-year-old woman who needed a valve replacement.
Dr. Kamal Adeleke, a cardiologist, and professor of medicine, conveyed in an interview with Channels Television that Tristate Healthcare has previously conducted more than 120 conventional open-heart surgeries nationwide.
According to him, until now, life-saving, minimally invasive heart surgeries were only available to Nigerians in Western countries, India, and South Africa.
“Now, we’re using techniques that have never been done in Nigeria. The first one is the minimally invasive heart surgery,” he said.
“Apart from the fact that it is minimally invasive, we also did not stop the heart. The heart was beating while the blood vessels were bypassed.
He further expressed his optimism about Nigeria’s capabilities, stating, “As a Nigerian that loves Nigeria, you can’t be happier that Nigeria can really do this. Nigeria can come out of a mess. When Nigeria puts its mind to something, it becomes doable.”
Minimally invasive heart surgery is when small cuts, called incisions, are made in the chest.
Unlike the traditional open-heart surgery that involves cutting the breastbone, in this approach, the surgeon accesses the heart by going between the ribs.
This method usually leads to less pain and faster recovery for many individuals.
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