ASTANA – The specialists of the National Scientific Cardiac Surgery Centre conducted Kazakhstan’s first artificial heart transplant Oct 19, 2017 for a 60-year-old Pavlodar native, kazakh-tv.kz reports.
The innovative development of French bioengineers and the high professionalism of Kazakh doctors was a breakthrough in cardiac surgery. In general, approximately 20 similar surgeries are planned in the world within six months.
“This is not just the implantation of an artificial heart. It is about giving hope and an opportunity to patients who cannot receive the donor heart or who are no longer suitable for heart transplant. The artificial heart is very close to the normal physiological state of the body in its parameters,” Chairman of Board of National Scientific Cardiac Surgical Centre Yuri Pya said.
Chief Physician of Paediatric Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery Scientific and Practical Medical Centre in Kiev Vladimir Zhovnir said such unique procedures show a high level of medicine in Kazakhstan.
“The fact that Kazakhstan has mastered this methodology, that our counterparts from Kazakhstan have the opportunity to implant artificial heart is a great achievement. I am happy for my Kazakh colleagues; they have the opportunity to do this. This is quite an expensive technology. I hope that Kazakhstan will not stop at this, but will develop further,” he said.
Experts say medical tourism in Kazakhstan also attracts some foreign patients, particularly from India, the Czech Republic, Italy, the U.S., the U.K. and China who rely on the experience of doctors conducting complex operations.
“I looked through the internet about necessary treatment and decided to choose Almaty, because local specialists have good experience in conducting similar surgeries. And, of course, the cost is affordable as well. The same operations in the U.S. or Korea will cost twice as much,” said American tourist Farida Workman.
