*I never thought I would survive – Adebiyi Oluwatoyin
Despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country, Reddington Hospital successfully performed its first open-heart surgery on a 66-year-old man with multiple cardiac problems in Lagos.
A fully Nigerian team of 20 specialists were on available to perform the complex surgery which lasted for six hours.
However, the patient, Adebiyi Oluwatoyin, who was not able to control the tears in his eyes, told Vanguard that he never thought he would survive the surgery, but he was full of praised to see himself alive and he will dedicate himself to God in everything he does.
iBrandTV gathered that the complex surgery was performed by the new Tristate Reddington Cardiac Programme, led by Prof Kamar Adeleke and Consultant Cardiothoracic procedure by first, putting the patient on a Heart-Lung Machine.
Thereafter the heart was opened and the malfunctioning Mitral valve was repaired, in addition, the three blocked vessels supplying blood to the heart were bypassed and the blood flow was restored. The heart was then successfully restarted.
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According to the Chief Executive Officer, Reddington Hospital Group, Dr. Yemi Onabowale, the complex surgery was carried out by a team of highly experienced medical personnel and that the patient was now fully back on his feet.
“The surgery, which was performed on Saturday, May 9, was a coronary artery bypass graft and mitral valve repair in a 66-year-old gentleman. The surgery was performed by the new Tristate Reddington Cardiac Programme.
“The operation involved stopping the heart and putting the patient on a heart-lung machine. The heart was opened to repair the mitral valve and the three blocked vessels to the heart were bypassed. The heart was then successfully restarted,” Onabowale said.
“The operation followed a very short period of meticulous planning led by Professor Kamar Adeleke, noting that 24 hours after the surgery, the patient started eating, drinking, and talking.
“This complex surgery demonstrates our ability to expand the range of what is possible in Nigeria particularly at this time when foreign access is highly limited. The Reddington now offers a full range of cardiology services with 24/7 emergency availability,” he added.
Following the development, Reddington has now joined the list of hospitals in Nigeria with the capacity to successfully perform open-heart surgeries.
My six-hour experience
While expressing his experience as well as survival, Oluwatoyin said that he never thought he would survive the operation even when the doctors comforted him of his survival.
“My daughter was driving me to the hospital, and when I got an attack Ii asked her to stop, that was how I got here. Imagine I am the one driving.
“I cannot remember anything after then, it is God’s making. I never believe that operation like this can happen in Nigeria. this is my first time sleeping in the hospital.
“I kept repeating in my heart that I will never die, I will live to praise God for what he has done for me.
