Keyhole bypass surgeries begin at CPEIC

MULTAN: Chaudhry Pervez Elahi Institute of Cardiology (CPEIC) has started keyhole bypass surgeries, which is a major breakthrough in the field of cardiac surgery in the country.

Senior cardiac physicians at the CPEIC told The News that the Keyhole Bypass was also known as Minimally Invasive Direct Coronary Artery Revascularisation. The procedure was a therapy performed by surgeons with experience in both keyhole surgery and beating heart surgery, they told.

They said that the heart surgery had started in late 90s in Pakistan and progressed gradually. The CPEIC had done a commendable job under the leadership of its Executive Director Prof Dr Rana Altaf Ahmed and introduced many innovations in the field of cardiac surgery in recent years, they added.

The major breakthrough was reported a few days back and history was made when Dr Yasir Khakwani performed the first heart bypass surgery without opening the chest, which was the first case of its kind in the history of Pakistan, they informed.

The CPEIC officials said that in minimal invasive heart surgery, chest was not opened and the whole operation was performed through a small 3-4 inch cut between the ribs.

CPEIC Director Prof Dr Rana Altaf Ahmad appreciated the beginning of keyhole surgeries at the CPEIC and praised the team work.