Groundbreaking surgery by IJN team

NST: The upper and lower chambers of the heart beat in a synchronised rhythm.
But not so for Chong Kee Jin, 60, whose heart beats rapidly and erratically, resulting in a 20-30 per cent reduction in blood flow.
But today , things are looking up for him.
Thanks to groundbreaking surgery to treat atrial fibrillation (AF) at the National Heart Institute on Monday, Chong will have the natural rhythm of his heart restored and be able to live a normal life.
The surgery was performed by an 11-member team led by Dr Mark La Meir, cardiothoracic surgeon of the University Hospital, Maastricht, Netherlands.
He was assisted by IJN chief cardiothoracic consultant Datuk Dr Mohd Azhari Yakub, consultant cardiothoracic surgeon Dr Jeswant Dillon and senior registrar Mohd Nazeri.
The surgery, the first in Asia and Australasia, was watched live by some 50 international and local cardiothoracic surgeons, doctors and nurses, along with an NST team.
Abnormal heart rhythms occur when the heart’s natural electrical impulses fail.
Some of the most common conditions accompanying AF are high blood pressure, coronary artery disease and heart valve problems.
AF can also be triggered by alcohol or caffeine, physical or psychological stress or stimulant medications.
Any abnormal activity involving the heart muscle may instigate AF, including heart surgery, heart attacks and inflammation of the sac surrounding the heart.
Conditions that scar or stretch heart tissue are also sources of AF, as well as over-activity of the thyroid gland or a blood clot in the lung.
Despite being the commonest and oldest described arrhythmia, AF is one of the most difficult conditions to treat.
Over 5.5 million people worldwide, including thousands of Malaysians, experience some form of AF, with at least one-third of cases being permanent or chronic, which means the symptoms may not be controlled by medication, making surgical treatment the most appropriate choice.