Cow tissue used to reconstruct man’s heart in life-saving surgery in Guyana

(News Source) In a ground-breaking surgery locally, a team at the Caribbean Heart Institute (CHI) led by its Chief Executive Officer, and Guyanese-born heart surgeon, Dr. Gary Stephens, has successfully conducted an open-heart surgery utilising cow tissue to reconstruct a patient’s heart.

In a statement today, CHI said the procedure, is the first-ever open-heart surgery of its kind, to be performed in Guyana.

The life-saving surgery was conducted on 24-year-old Dexter George.

According to CHI, the surgery involved the complete removal of a cardiac tumour, partial removal of the right atrium, and the utilisation of bovine pericardium – a tissue derived from a cow’s heart – for the reconstruction of the damaged right atrium.

In the statement, Dr. Stephens said the procedure challenged the conventional understanding of the heart’s resilience, illustrating that substantial portions of the heart can be removed with positive outcomes.

 “This remarkable feat could pave the way for more aggressive approaches in similar cases, pushing beyond traditional boundaries,” Dr Stephens said.

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Source: CARICOM TODAY