First patient in Ghana to undergo open heart surgery at a private hospital

Health News Monday, April 29, 2019

Source: GNA

2019-04-29

Anthony Ofori, 61, is making remarkable progress less than twelve hours after undergoing open-heart surgery at Providence's Accra specialty hospital in Accra, according to his intensive care specialist.

The operation, the first to be performed outside the Korle Bu University Hospital, replaced a mitral valve damaged by an artificial valve to facilitate blood circulation of the atrium left to the left ventricle.

Dr. Ernest Ofosu Appiah, consultant in anesthesia and head of the intensive care unit, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Accra on Sunday that the patient was in a stable, active state and had begun to feed himself liquid food.

"We found that it improves quickly. It's no longer about the fan, a machine that helps patients breathe, "he said.

It was very impressive because the other patients were generally weaned off the ventilator after about a week, he pointed out.

With a contagious smile, Mr. Ofori would have thanked God and the medical team for the success of the operation and prayed for a complete cure.

Professor Kwabena Frimpong Boateng, the largest cardiac surgeon in Ghana, led a team of 10 people, including Dr. Appiah, to perform the operation about four hours Saturday.

Dr. Baffoe Gyan, Professor Martin Tamatey, both cardiac surgeons, helped Professor Frimpong-Boateng perform about four operations.

Tito Nto, an anesthesiologist, Roger Godson, clinical perfusionist and four nurses were also part of the team.

Sharing his first moments when he came out of the operation, Mr. Ofori told health care professionals that, when he had opened his eyes, he thought that he was in bed at the time. home, but then he realized that he could not move.

"… When I was told that I had to have an open-heart operation to recover, I was scared. Some people even said they had a vision of my death. I almost opposed surgery, "he said.

"But after having a conversation with Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, the famous cardiothoracic surgeon, I was convinced that everything would be fine."

After practicing the operation, Professor Frimpong-Boateng told reporters that it was prudent to correct the situation when the risk was much lower for the patient, failing which he could have been suffering from pain. heart failure, which would have rendered surgery unnecessary.

Mr. Ofori was suffering from the disease that had impeded the circulation of his blood and had given him palpitations for about 20 years.