IJN Performs Second Successful Mechanical Heart Op

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 1 (Bernama) -- Institut Jantung Negara (IJN) has successfully performed its second mechanical heart operation, barely a year-and-a-half after the nation's premier heart institute performed the first such operation with success.
A team of cardiothoracic surgeons from IJN performed the surgery on Tee Hui Yi, a 13-year-old girl from Batu Pahat, Johor, to implant an external left ventricular support system called Thoratec Paracorporeal Ventricular Assist Device (PVAD) on Sept 29.
The institute's chief executive officer, Mohd Radzif Mohd Yunus, said the surgery to implant the heart-assist device on the girl took more than five hours and the mechanical device, designed to improve cardiac output, was placed outside the girl's abdomen and connected to the left side of the heart.
IJN performed its first mechanical heart operation in July last year on Muhammad Fikri Norazmi, a 15-year-old boy from Kuala Lumpur, by fitting him with the Implantable Ventricular Assist Device (IVAD). This operation was the first mechanical heart operation in the Asian and Australasian region.
"With the success of the (second) surgery, Tee became the country's second mechanical heart-assist recipient. The surgery also re-affirms IJN's expertise and capability in implanting heart-assist devices," Mohd Radzif told a press conference at IJN, here Wednesday.
The operating team was led by IJN's chief cardiothoracic surgeon, Datuk Dr Mohd Azhari Yakub, and consultant cardiothoracic surgeon and the director of IJN's Mechanical Heart Programme, Dr Mohamed Ezani Md Taib.
The two specialists were assisted by chief anaesthesiologist Datuk Dr Mohamed Hassan Mohamed Ariff, consultant anaesthesiologists Dr Sharifah Suraya Syed Mohd Tahir and Dr N. Thirukumar, anaesthesiologist Dr Lim Kin Yuee and consultant cardiologists Datuk Dr David Chew Soon Ping and Dr Aizai Azan Abdul Rahim.
"Tee was diagnosed with end-stage heart failure. She was suffering from a viral infection, which affected her heart and caused heart failure. She was referred to IJN's heart failure clinic and despite optimal medical therapy, her condition deteriorated and she was put on the heart transplant list in May this year.
"Due to recurrent admissions to Batu Pahat Hospital and IJN, the transplant team felt that she needed a mechanical heart to support her while waiting for a donor. On Sept 13, she was readmitted to IJN for heart failure. While undergoing treatment she developed a potential fatal heart rhythm. She was successfully resuscitated and we decided to implant the PVAD," said Dr Mohamed Azani, who was also at the press conference.
He said after the operation, Tee remained stable overnight in the intensive care unit and was heavily sedated until the next morning (Sept 30) and was subsequently taken off the respirator. By 6pm the next day, the 15-year-old had her dinner.
"Unfortunately, she developed blood function derangement due to her anti-coagulation medication (blood thinning drugs) and needed to be put back on the ventilator. The problem was subsequently overcome with support from the National Blood Bank," he added.
Due to her pre-operative condition, during the last three weeks, Tee had a total of eight cardiac arrests where her heart stopped and during this time the PVAD performed well and continued to function.
Today, 33 days after surgery, Tee is undergoing extensive cardio-pulmonary and neurological rehabilitation at the intensive care unit.