Not so long ago, people would fly abroad for the slightest heart problem… until 1984, when the first heart surgery took place in Mauritius. More than 40 years later, the techniques used have evolved considerably, and Mauritius is already positioning itself as a medical hub in the Indian Ocean region. Dr Marvyn Sooknunden, cardiothoracic surgeon at C-Care Wellkin, talks to us about these advances.
What exactly is cardiac surgery?
This is a medical specialty involving surgery on the heart and large vessels in the thoracic cavity. It encompasses two types of surgery: coronary artery surgery – requiring, depending on severity, either stenting or bypass surgery – and heart valve surgery. Since minimally invasive surgery is not yet the norm worldwide, the majority of cardiac operations are performed on an open-heart basis.
What are the most common reasons for needing heart surgery?
In cardiac surgery, we mainly treat coronary and valvular pathologies. However, in Mauritius, most of our patients are diabetic, or pre-diabetic, so we perform many coronary bypasses, since a stent would not be sufficient for people with this condition. The aim of this surgery is to bypass the diseased arteries in order to perfuse the heart.
Are cutting-edge technologies part of this specialty in Mauritius?
Of course, we no longer send our patients abroad, even for the most complex cases. Today, we can perform operations on the ascending aorta, the body’s largest vessel, which requires complete circulatory arrest – a delicate but indispensable operation. We also perform ECMO – a perfusion technique to supply organs in the event of major failure, while waiting for the heart to resume its functions after revascularization or valve replacement – and even angioplasty. A great deal of progress has also been made in cardiac anesthesia: our patients are completely autonomous just two days after surgery!
