Wasn’t able to be treated in Switzerland but was cured in Turkey
Robotic surgery, in Turkey, used to treat 16 year old girl from Bosnia Herzegovina, with heart valve troubles.
With a heart valve condition, 16 year old Amina Halilic from Bosnia Herzegovina, was first taken to Switzerland by her parents.
Here, she was told that the only means of treating her was with open-heart surgery. Because this would mean that her breastbone would be opened, the family declined surgery. Upon their referal to the Acibadem Hospital’s International Patient Transfer Center, the family arrived in Turkey. With robot assisted surgery and enterring through a few small incisions, Amina’s mitral valve was repaired.
According to Prof. Dr. Cem Alhan, faculty member at the Acibadem Hospital Medical Faculty’s Cardio Vascular Diseases Department “close to 20,000 persons undergo heart valve surgery every year; heart valve surgery is performed by opening the breastbone which prolongs the patients healing process. On the other hand, this surgery can be done robotically, with a few incisions each 8mm long. Since this method of surgery uses minute incisions, patients feel less pain as compared to an open-heart procedure. Time spent at the hospital is reduced and it doesn’t leave a big scar. Because of the smaller incisions and less loss of blood, even under the most complicated surgical circumstances, patients may be discharged within 1-2 weeks. Most importantly, because it isn’t cut open, the breastbone doesn’t pose any issues due to possible displacement or infections as a result of the surgery.”
HEART VALVES WHICH CAN’T BE REPAIRED THROUGH OPEN-HEART SURGERY CAN BE REPAIRED WITH ROBOT ASSISTED SURGERY
Stating that “heart valve repair surgery – normally a complicated technique and one which many surgeons will refrain from performing – has now become much less complicated thanks to robot assisted surgery.” Prof. Dr. Cem Alhan went on to say that “what is really sad is that heart valves are replaced in many patients whose heart valves could be repaired. Although exact figures are unknown, I would estimate that about half of the 20,000… or 10,000 individuals could have had their heart valves repaired. When the patient has a mechanical valve placed, this means that they must take blood thinners for life; while with a heart valve which is repaired they are spared the need to take blood thinning medications for life, along with the many blood tests required. As a result, both their quality of life is improved and, economically, their treatment expenses are greatly reduced. Infections and the release of blood clots are also increased risks associated with prosthetic valves. Since valve anatomy is very clearly visible in the HD and 3D imagery as provided by the da Vinci, many valves which couldn’t be repaired in open-heart surgery can be repaired.