Komodo Regional Hospital performs maiden cardiac catheterization

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The first coronary heart procedure at Komodo Regional Hospital, Labuan Bajo, East Nusa Tenggara, this week marked the beginning of catheterization laboratory services at the hospital, the Health Ministry said.

In a statement received here on Thursday, the Bureau of Communication and Public Services of the ministry informed that the operation took place on Wednesday.

"The act was coronary angiography on a coronary heart disease patient," the doctor who performed the operation, I Kadek Susila Surya Darma, said.

Coronary angiography is an invasive procedure conducted to check blockages in the coronaries of patients who may have coronary heart disease.

The operation, which was performed from 9 a.m. to 9:25 a.m. local time on Wednesday, was conducted in order to diagnose the patient's disease, he said.

"This activity went well, and the patient is stable; they have no complaints. The operation was performed by a doctor and catheterization laboratory team from Ngoerah Bali Hospital,” Darma informed.

The patient, SO, 54, with diabetes mellitus and hypertension as risk factors, often complained about chest pain after strenuous activities, he said.

During the operation, the diagnostic catheterization procedure was employed, in which doctors inserted a catheter through the radial artery on the patient’s right hand, he informed.

Then, the contrast agent, which functions as a tool to provide better diagnostic results, was channeled into the body through the catheter, he added.

"It is known that this patient, his blockage is not so significant, hence we only optimized the drugs so as to prevent it (his condition) from getting worse, or (protect him) from heart failure,” he explained.

Darma said that if a blockage is not significant, it means that the flow of oxygen is still optimal. Should there be a worse blockage, a ring would have to be installed, he added.

"This is the first cath lab device installed in Flores Island, in Komodo Regional Hospital. This is for catheterization, or slipping in the catheter to see the arteries. This device can be used for, among other things, coronary heart disease and stroke," he said.

SO said that he did not feel pain during the operation.

"I did not feel pain. Just like that, the operation finished. Currently, I have no complaints," he said.

The patient urged people to not hesitate to check their heart condition with a cath lab.

"People must immediately check their heart condition at Komodo Regional Hospital. Now the device is advanced, so there is no need to come to hospitals in other regions," he said.

Meanwhile, Secretary of the Directorate General of Health Services at the ministry, Sunarto, said that Komodo Hospital’s services are running well, including the catheterization laboratory.

"Cath lab is one advanced tech for diagnostics and (to address) heart disease cases. Currently, (we) are still assisted by a team on heart issues from Ngoerah Bali hospital," he informed.

He said he expected that Labuan Bajo Hospital can have a permanent cardiologist. It is also hoped that there would be neurologists, so there would be better services for heart issues and strokes.

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He also affirmed that the Health Ministry will make efforts to meet the needs of specialist doctors at the regional hospital by pursuing several mentoring programs.