HeartCare at Home: India Revolutionizing Open Heart Surgery in Nigeria
A large number of Nigerian patients travel abroad for open heart surgery every year due to limitations in the success rates of local programs.
The dilemma of high costs associated with international travel and accommodation in The US and European countries added to the challenges of these patients and their family members.
Luckily, Indian cardiac and cardiothoracic surgeons are now bringing their expertise to Nigeria and patients can access top-notch medical care without the necessity of traveling abroad.
Successful open heart surgery in Nigeria means not only the convenience of getting it done in your home country but also substantial cost savings.
Let’s learn how Indian doctors are changing Nigeria’s open heart surgery scene.
What is open heart surgery?
Open heart surgery, cardiovascular surgery, or cardiac surgery is a medical procedure where the surgeon accesses the heart through an incision in the chest to treat various cardiac conditions. Unlike minimally invasive procedures, open heart surgery usually needs a sternotomy, where the breastbone is divided, allowing direct access to the heart.
During open heart surgery, the patient is usually connected to a heart-lung machine or Cardiopulmonary Bypass Pump, which takes over the functions of the heart and lungs, helping the surgeon to operate on a still and bloodless heart.
Open heart surgery is a significant medical intervention often reserved for complex cardiac issues that cannot be treated effectively through minimally invasive methods.
When does a person need heart surgery?
Open heart surgery is needed to treat:
Congenital heart defects like atrial septal defects (a hole in the heart at birth) or hypoplastic left heart syndrome in which a child has underdeveloped heart structure at birth.
Heart failure is a lifelong condition in which your heart muscle fails to pump enough blood that your body requires for blood and oxygen.
Arrhythmias, including atrial fibrillation, need open heart surgery. Arrhythmias or irregular heartbeat is a condition in which there is a problem with the rate or rhythm of your heartbeat. In short, your heart may beat too fast, or too slow or you may have an irregular rhythm.
CAD is a condition that restricts the blood flow to your coronary artery, which delivers blood to your heart muscle. In short, it is the narrowing or blockage of the coronary arteries, which are important for your heart to work properly.
A thoracic aortic aneurysm is a bulging weakened area in your chest’s main artery. Over time, your blood vessels balloon, and if not treated on time they may burst or get separated. This can be life-threatening.
What are the different types of open heart surgeries?
There are two types of open heart surgeries.
There are two main types of open-heart surgery:
On-pump Surgery
In this approach, a heart-lung bypass machine is connected to the heart, taking over its functions temporarily.
The machine circulates blood throughout the body while diverting it away from the heart.
The surgeon then operates on a heart that is not beating and lacks blood flow.
Post-surgery, the surgeon disconnects the device, and the heart resumes its normal function.
Off-pump Surgery
Off-pump bypass surgery is performed on a heart that continues to beat on its own.
This approach is specifically applicable to coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery, also known as bypass surgery.
Surgeons may refer to this as “beating-heart surgery.”
These different types of open heart surgeries are used in different medical situations, and the choice between on-pump and off-pump techniques depends on the specific needs and conditions of the patient.
To know more about open heart surgery click here.
Open Heart Surgery in Nigeria
A huge number of patients are suffering from structural heart disease in Nigeria. However successful open-heart surgery programs have faced numerous challenges.
A study conducted at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital sheds light on the experiences and obstacles encountered in developing the open heart surgery program.
The study, covering procedures between August 2004 and December 2011, talks about challenges such as a low volume of cases, an unstable working environment, limited trained staff, financial constraints, and difficulties in transitioning from a “Cardiac Mission” model.
The open heart surgery program is still evolving in the country and a huge number of patients are heading to the US or European countries for the procedure.
But the health scene in Nigeria is changing and you can now undergo open heart surgery in Nigeria. The best part is you will be treated by top Indian cardiac surgeons.
MedicoExperts is bridging the gap in healthcare In Nigeria. The initiative will help many patients who are looking for advanced treatment with the best doctors in the world.
Now, the people of Nigeria need not visit other countries for treatment thereby saving time and money in traveling.
In open heart surgery, the organization is bringing the best cardiologists, cardiac surgeons, and cardiothoracic surgeons to the country.
Let’s check which open heart surgeries are conducted by our top Indian surgeons in Nigeria.
Heart surgeries that will be conducted by Indian surgeons In Nigeria?
MedicoExperts has enlisted 2000 highly experienced super specialist surgeons and over 150 multi-specialty top hospitals in India.
With half a decade of experience, we have successfully conducted more than 200 Surgical Camps and OPD Camps in Nigeria, Uganda, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, and many other countries in just four years.
The heart surgeries that we will conduct through our surgical camps in Nigeria are:
Atrial septal defect (ASD) transcatheter repair is a way to mend a hole in the wall between the right and left upper chambers of the heart. This wall is called the atrial septum, and when there’s a hole in it, it’s known as an atrial septal defect or ASD.
Ventricular septal defect (VSD) transcatheter repair surgery is a heart procedure that fixes a hole between the heart’s left and right lower chambers, known as ventricles. What makes this procedure special is that it fixes the hole without the need for any chest incisions. To understand it better, just think of the heart having 4 chambers – 2 at the top (atria) and 2 at the bottom (ventricles).
Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) is a heart problem that someone is born with. It involves four heart defects that affect how blood moves through the heart and to the lungs. To fix TOF, open-heart surgery is done shortly after birth or in the early months of life.
Atrioventricular canal defect is also a kind of heart problem someone is born with. If you have this defect, it means there’s a hole in the wall that divides the heart’s chambers, and there are issues with the heart valves. This condition can either be partial, affecting only the two upper chambers, or complete, involving all four chambers of the heart.
The go-to treatment for kids with AVSD (atrioventricular septal defect) involves open-heart surgery. In this procedure, one or two patches are used to separate the common valve into right and left sides and to close up the holes.
Aortopulmonary window (APW) is a rare heart condition, occurring alone or more often with other congenital heart issues. It involves an unusual connection between the ascending aorta and pulmonary artery, just above the two semilunar valves. The occurrence rate is low, ranging from 0.1 to 0.2%.
The repair of AW usually needs open heart surgery.
Total anomalous pulmonary venous return (TAPVR) is a condition where the blood vessels from the lungs follow an abnormal route back to the heart. Surgery for TAPVR involves open-heart surgery to correct this issue.
In patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), a blood vessel that is supposed to close after birth (the ductus arteriosus) remains open. This leads to oxygen-rich blood returning to the lungs instead of circulating throughout the body.
PDA ligation is a procedure to correct this issue. If medication is ineffective or if the PDA is large and causing complications, heart surgery may be necessary.
During the surgery, a small incision is made between the ribs to access the child’s heart, and the opening is closed using stitches or clips. Recovery typically takes a few weeks after the surgery.
The Glenn procedure, also known as bidirectional Glenn, is a surgery done to improve blood flow in a heart with a small left or right side.
This involves addressing issues with either the valve connecting the upper and lower heart chambers or the pumping chamber itself. This surgery, considered open-heart, is usually performed on babies around 4 to 6 months old.
A Blalock-Taussig (BT) shunt is a small, flexible tube that redirects blood flow in the body. Surgeons use it to connect a smaller artery, called the subclavian artery, to the pulmonary artery. This helps boost blood flow to the lungs. The procedure is typically done without using a heart bypass, and it involves making a side incision in the chest, known as a lateral thoracotomy.
Cost of open heart surgery done by Indian doctors in Nigeria?
MedicoExperts has enlisted some of the cardiac surgeons and cardiothoracic surgeons in India who will come to Nigeria and conduct the surgery in the comfort of your home country, that means you will not only save the time of traveling but also the cost of travel and accommodation in a foreign country.
The cost of these surgeries will be around around 7700 USD (11354574 Naira) to 8500 USD (12534270 Naira). To get more details about the cost, contact the MedicoExperts team today.
MedicoExperts Surgical Centre near you
Frequently Asked Questions and patient concerns:
Q1. Where can you get our services in Nigeria?
We conduct our surgical camps and OPD camps in:
- Owerri, Imo State
- Port Harcourt
- Lagos
- Ibadan, Oyo state
- Kaduna, Kaduna State
- Abuja
- Awka, Anambra State
Prince travelled from Cameroon to Nigeria to get his hernia repair surgery done by best Indian general surgeon and he is very happy with the treatment I received.
How was your experience with MedicoExperts and the Indian Surgeon?
It was a wonderful experience and everything went smoothly and I am very happy with the outcome. My pain is gone and my surgery was very good. Thank you team MedicoExperts.
About Patient
Hi, my name is Prince Cyril and I am 50 years old. I currently reside in Cameroon, I travelled to Awka, Nigeria, to get my hernia repair surgery done. I had a lot of discomfort before my surgery but I am pain-free now.
Mr Joseph who got laparoscopic hernia surgery in Nigeria and is now happy with the results.
How was your experience with MedicoExperts and the Indian Surgeon?
I have nothing but respect and admiration for the surgeon and his team, who at every stage showed great professionalism and kindness to me. Thank you! I was amazed that I had no post-operative pain (compared to a prior hernia procedure) and returned to ordinary operations earlier than I expected after the surgery.
About patient
Hello, I am Mr. Joseph Ogburo, 49 and I was diagnosed with hernia. I had an inguinal hernia fixed before, but it was expensive and the experience was not that pleasant. I was going through the same pain and discomfort again but this time I wanted to make sure I get the best treatment possible.
