Nigerian woman gets fresh lease of life at TN hospital

Chennai, Dec 2 (UNI) ''Good afternoon everybody,'' 30-year-old Tanko Ashabi Kudirat of Nigeria greeted the gathering with a broad smile on her lips.

This cheer was least expected by many in her family, including her husband back home, whose heart skipped many a beat when the Nigerian flew down to Chennai to undergo one of the 'rarest of rare surgeries' on November 25.

The mitral valve reconstruction surgery was unique because Tanko, mother of a six-month and 11-day old baby, could become pregnant again as the valve was only repaired and not replaced.

''Normally the diseased valve is removed and replaced either with mechanical or tissue valve. But we retained the patient's own valve by repairing it using innovative techniques,'' claimed Dr M P Naresh Kumar who performed the surgery.

She was afflicted with a rheumatic heart and had been suffering from breathlessness and exertion since chilhood. Because of reverse pumping of blood due to leakage and narrowing of her mitral valve ('mitral valve stenosis and regurgitation'), her heart had enlarged by four to five times the normal size.

Tanko was also suffering from severe pulmonary hypertension and figured in NYHA Class III-IV heart failure with fluid collection in her lungs.

Her condition warranted immediate corrective valve surgery and Dr Idris Yekinni of the UK, who also happens to be her relative, referred her to Harvey Super Specialities Hospital (HSSH) after examining various options, including surgery in England and other countries.

A team of doctors headed by Dr M P Naresh Kumar, a leading expert in heart valve correction surgery and Chairman of HSHH, performed the complicated four-hour-long surgery without replacing the leaking mitral valve.

Introducing Ms Tanko to reporters here yesterday, Dr Naresh said the defect in the valve was corrected using mitral valvotomy, papillotomy and ring annuloplasty using St Jude 27 mm flexible rings and corrected the leak and the narrowing of her own valve.

''Since valve replacement surgeries are fraught with problems like anticoagulation, future bleeding, clotting and avoiding pregnancy, we decided to go for Mitral Valve Reconstruction surgery which gives the patient trouble-free and medicine-free future,'' he added.

After getting fresh lease of life, Tanko said she was feeling much better now and thanked the doctors for making her a normal person.

UNI GV GM AD ND1008