Kenya performs first beating-heart bypass surgery
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Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) in Kenya recently completed its first “beating-heart bypass surgery”, a complex procedure performed while the patient’s heart continues to beat.
Surgeons at the public hospital successfully used an off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting technique, avoiding the need for a heart-lung machine. This method is less invasive, which experts believe will reduce complications and speed up recovery for patients.
KNH has a history of medical advancements in the country, including the first kidney transplant in 1978 and a blood transfusion to an unborn baby in 2023. This week, the hospital is performing 11 of these surgeries with assistance from doctors from Canada, Japan, and Sweden. Demand for this specialized care is high, and the hospital’s success offers renewed confidence in Kenya’s public health sector and hope for patients needing complex heart treatment.
