Doctors improve surgery methods

By OGIA MIAMEL
SURGEONS at the Port Moresby General Hospital (PMGH) recently conducted a video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) on a heart patient, cardiothoracic surgeon Dr Noah Tapaua says.
VATS is a thoracic surgery performed by using a small video camera that is inserted into the patient’s chest.
The surgeon is able to view the instruments being used along with the structure of the organ being operated on.
Tapaua said VATS was a non-invasive way of operation because it did not require a big cut on the patient to conduct an operation.
With the support of the Open Heart International doctors from Australia and Singapore, and the funding support of Operation Open Heart in PNG, local doctors are able to receive training overseas on how to perform a VATS operations. They conduct these operations under the supervision of the visiting doctors.
PMGH this year has conducted VATS, a dual-chamber pacemaker implantation and a pacemaker replacement.
A pacemaker is a device for stimulating the heart muscle and regulating its contraction and allowing the heart to function normally.
He said the dual chamber operation involved putting two leads in the right and left chambers of the heart to allow blood to flow at a normal rate.
The patient will not experience a low pulse because of the blockage in the flow of blood.
These small ports are advantageous because the chance for infection and wound are reduced.
This allows for a faster recovery by the patient and a greater chance for the wound to heal.