On December 7, the patient Raúl Miranda, 52 years old, farmer at the Abel Santamaría cooperative in Consolación del Sur, Pinar del Río, underwent surgery for a myxomatous tumor, almost seven centimeters in size, in the left atrium, which was obstructing the blood flow in each heartbeat.
This complex operation was successfully performed by doctors Yasser Colao Jiménez and Jorge Fernández Alba, specialists in cardiovascular surgery at the Hermanos Ameijeiras Clinical Surgical Hospital (HHA), an institution that on December 3 celebrated its 41st anniversary of its founding by Commander in Chief Fidel Castro.
The team also included the anesthesiologist, the instrumentalist nurse and specialists in myocardial perfusion in charge of handling the extracorporeal circulation machine, and the nurse who guarantees the necessary supplies in the room during the procedure, among other personnel.
In an exclusive interview with the Cuban News Agency, Colao Jimenez, also Head of the Cardiovascular Surgery Service of the HHA, said that the patient underwent conventional surgery by means of extracorporeal circulation.
He specified that the patient had planned the surgery for Monday, December 11, but on Thursday afternoon he presented a precordial pain and it was decided to operate on him when the emergency of the situation was proven due to a possible complication caused by the total occlusion of the blood flow and/or embolization in his coronary arteries with electrical changes.
“The team of men and women dedicated to the humane task of saving lives mobilized, and at eight o’clock that night the patient was taken to the room to have the tumor removed, with a low possibility of recurrence, but it occluded the mitral valve and his life was in danger,” explained Yasser Colao Jimenez.
He also highlighted the skill and ability of the nursing system, headed by Yusleidis Morales Guillot, head nurse, and Greydis Pacheco Valverde, who was on duty.
The patient Raúl Miranda was discharged 10 days after surgery and continues with a satisfactory evolution. He is infinitely grateful to the Revolution and Cuban medicine for having saved his life, completely free of charge.
“My recovery has been marvelous, I don’t feel any pain in the wound, nor did I have any after-effects,” he told ACN, and stressed: “Praise be to doctors Yasser and Jorgito who performed such a complex surgery. I have no words to thank those doctors who made the best decision and now I am enjoying my family”.
Maisloide Delgado, Raul’s wife, states that both he and she felt at home because of the wonderful treatment from the doctors and other professionals, as well as all the health staff at HHA.
Passionate about restoring hearts
Yasser Colao Jiménez clarifies that the most frequent tumors in the heart are valvular and coronary, and the causes that give rise to them are very specific to each patient.
In the case of benign tumors, they point to genetic causes, while malignant tumors depend on the tumor that triggers metastasis to the heart, said this specialist, who has been working at the HHA Cardiocenter since 2006, where he has operated on dozens of these types of tumors, which are rare.
For his part, young surgeon Jorge Fernández Alba, who has been working at the HHA for seven years, told ACN: “When a patient enters the room there are relatives waiting for him, and the greatest satisfaction is that he comes out alive and well. That is the glory for us, who put all our efforts into saving lives.”
At 35 years of age, Dr. Jorgito, as he is affectionately called, has performed almost thirty highly complex open heart surgeries.
“This specialty is my life. I dedicate all the time I can to it, because it has always been what I have dreamed of since I was a child,” emphasized the cardiovascular surgeon.
This is an example of the humanistic vocation of science and awareness of Cuba’s health professionals (Iris Armas Padrino, ACN).
(Taken from ACN)
