New technology to make heart surgery safer

MUMBAI, Feb 20: Heart surgery may not cause much heart burn for patients anymore. A new technology introduced in a leading city hospital minimises the need of blood during heart surgery. Known as Jostra Centrifugal Pump, this technology claims to make heart surgeries very safe. At a press conference called on Saturday, the Lilavati Hospital in Bandra formally announced the introduction of the revolutionary technology which forms a part of the heart-lung machine.

Honorary cardiac surgeon Dr Pavan Kumar revealed that Lilavati Hospital has successfully performed 40 complex heart operations, the largest so far in the country using the new technology. He said that the pump helps to avoid any damage to the blood plasma, reduces blood loss and enhances safety.

The new technology is particularly used in treating damaged hearts functioning at 25 per cent of its normal capacity or on patients who have a history of rejection of by-pass surgeries. Moreover, even patients above 70 years of age can undergo a surgerywithout the fear of suffering a brain stroke, the doctors said.