Kenyan doctors perform rare heart procedure

Surgeons, nurses, cardiologists performing open heart surgery on a baby with a heart defect at Mater Hospital. [File, Standard]

A team of cardiologists in Nairobi has successfully performed a rare heart procedure known as 'Intravascular Lithotripsy (IVL)'.

This places Kenya alongside South Africa as the only countries on the continent where the treatment has been carried out.

The procedure was led by Dr Vijaysinh Patil, an interventional cardiologist at The Nairobi West Hospital.

It was performed on a 68-year-old man who had suffered a heart attack three weeks earlier.

Earlier tests had revealed that he had multiple severely calcified blockages in his coronary arteries.

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Such blockages are difficult to treat because the artery walls become extremely rigid, resembling concrete pipes.

Standard angioplasty balloons often cannot expand these arteries, while attempting to do so risks damaging the vessel. In many cases, patients are referred for open-heart bypass surgery.

"In this patient's case, bypass surgery was not possible because the vessels were unsuitable," Dr Patil explained.
He added: "The patient was also reluctant to undergo major surgery, which left us with very limited options."

The IVL offers an alternative for patients in such situations. The technique uses a balloon catheter, threaded into the artery, that emits controlled sonic waves.

These waves selectively fracture hardened calcium inside the vessel wall, making the artery flexible enough to be opened safely. Once that is achieved, doctors can insert stents to restore blood flow.

"The technology allows us to crack the calcium without harming the healthy parts of the artery," Dr Patil said.
He added: "It gives us the ability to safely treat patients who would otherwise be left with no option but risky surgery."

In this case, the medical team used an IVL balloon to deliver pulses in two blocked arteries, successfully breaking down the calcium.

They were then able to place two stents with precision. The patient recovered well and was discharged the following day.

The successful use of IVL in Nairobi adds to a growing list of advanced heart procedures carried out in Kenya in recent months.

Last year, doctors performed the country's first 'Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI)', a non-surgical replacement of a narrowed heart valve.

Another procedure known as 'renal artery denervation' was introduced to help patients with high blood pressure resistant to medication.

Experts say these developments highlight the country's growing capacity for minimally invasive cardiology.

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Such techniques not only reduce the risks associated with open surgery but also shorten recovery times and hospital stays.

"This is a significant step forward in how we approach complex coronary disease," said Dr Patil. "Patients with severely calcified arteries now have a safe and effective alternative that was not previously available in the region."

Cardiovascular disease remains one of the leading causes of death in Kenya and across Africa, with lifestyle changes and an ageing population contributing to rising numbers of heart patients.

Calcified artery blockages are especially challenging to treat, as they often affect older individuals with other underlying health conditions.

By adopting technologies such as IVL, doctors say Kenya is moving closer to international standards of care. It also spares patients the financial and logistical burden of travelling abroad for advanced treatment.

"The introduction of IVL is not just a technical achievement," Dr Patil said. "It represents progress in making advanced cardiac care accessible to our population, and it will benefit many patients in the years to come."