A major breakthrough in healthcare delivery was recorded on Wednesday by the Akwa Ibom State Government, especially in the area of cardiology and cardiothoracic surgery, as a team of medical doctors performed first full implantation of transveinus cardiac pacemaker on two patients, using state-of-the-art medical facilities installed at the newly remodelled General Hospital, Awa, Onna Local Government Area.
The feat was achieved by the combined efforts of specialists drawn from various fields of medicine in government owned hospitals in the state, in collaboration with renowned cardiothoracic surgeons, Prof. Eyo Ekpe, and Dr. Ezekiel Ogunleye of the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital and Lagos University Teaching Hospital, respectively.During a review of the operations held at the Conference Room of the hospital, where the two procedures carried out in the newly remodelled theatre was beamed to journalists, medical officers, observers, and patients’ family members, through a giant size television screen, Prof. Ekpe, who was the leader of the medical team said, they carried out the procedures using 21st-centurymedicare approach, aided by an advanced medical imagery device called the C-Armmachine.He added that the procedure that was carried out was a transvenous cardiac pacemaker, which is done by implanting a small battery-operated device under the patient’s skin.
It is technically connected to what is called a lead that links to the heart, which sends regular electrical impulses that helps keep your heart beating regularly.According to the medical expert, “This hospital has a fully functional state-of-the-art theater, so when we were told that we were going to carry out a cardiac pacemaker insertion in this hospital, I knew we were in the right place for such a procedure”.
