Unique and most complex heart surgery performed in Lviv
From now on, patients in Lviv will be saved from the threat of sudden cardiac death. The first Ferrazzi operation in Lviv region, one of the most complex cardiac surgical interventions in the world, was performed by surgeons of St. Panteleimon Hospital of the First Medical Association of Lviv together with a cardiac surgeon from the Amosov Institute.
The patient is 48-year-old Serhiy Tsypko from the city of Kovel. Five years ago he was diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
“My main concern was shortness of breath. It began to appear not only during physical activity, but also while walking. It was very difficult,” the man says.
At first, Serhiy was treated with medication, but over the past year, conservative treatment has lost its effectiveness. So the only way out was surgery.
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is a hereditary disease affecting the myocardium. Unlike congenital malformations, with hereditary diseases, a person can be born with a perfectly healthy heart and not even suspect a threat for many years. Over time, the disease leads to thickening of the interventricular septum. Normally, it should be no more than 1 cm, but in Serhiy’s case it was as much as 2.5 cm. As a result of this pathology, the heart rhythm is disturbed, the blood does not circulate properly and the patient can die suddenly.
To help Serhiy and share his experience in treating such patients with Lviv specialists, leading cardiac surgeon and deputy director of the Amosov National Institute of Cardiovascular Surgery Kostyantyn Rudenko came to St. Panteleimon’s Hospital from Kyiv. Together with Lviv doctors, he performed the first Ferrazzi operation in the history of the region.
The Ferrazzi operation is considered one of the most difficult interventions in cardiac surgery, but at the same time the safest for the patient.
“During the intervention, we freed the outlet from the patient’s heart to restore normal blood circulation between the second ventricle and the aorta. We reconstructed the mitral valve and restored its function, thereby relieving the patient of all symptoms. After rehabilitation, he will be able to live a full life,” explains Kostyantyn Rudenko, explaining the essence of this extremely complex surgery.
Roman Domashych, head of the Heart and Vascular Center at St. Panteleimon Hospital, emphasizes the extreme importance of this first surgery for Lviv.
“This is a significant event for the First Medical Association and the city of Lviv. And for this opportunity we thank Kostyantyn Rudenko from the Amosov Institute. Together we have carried out this unique intervention. Thus, we are expanding the sudden cardiac death program in Ukraine, and from now on patients from all western regions can seek help at our hospital,” says Roman Domashych.
Ferrazzi’s surgery lasted 4 hours and was successful.