A highly trained and experienced cardiothoracic surgery team from the Cardiovascular Surgery Department of Near East University has realized the 5th artificial heart implantation and saved the life of Çetin Şadi via implanting an artificial heart successfully. Çetin Sadi, the owner of Kyrenia Con Coffee and one of the prominent figures of our country, who had suffered from end stage heart failure and experienced three cardiac arrest due to myocardial failure and the consequent loss of contractile function of cardiac muscle for about a year, had no other treatment options except artificial heart implantation. Çetin Şadi, who was undergone an artificial heart transplant surgery upon the consent of his family while he was in a coma, will be able to continue his daily life after his successful operation.
Çetin Şadi, one of the prominent figures of our country who had been suffering from heart disease for many years and had severe heart failure, used to continue his life with the complaint of cardiac arrhythmia. Cetin Şadi, whose heart stopped frequently and was resuscitated every time, was treated with angiography, stenting, and pacemaker implantation, but these treatments were unable to go beyond temporary relief. Since end-stage heart failure is a very important health problem that threatens the life of the patient, an artificial heart transplantation surgery is the golden standard to restore the heart functions and to help vital organs to recover faster. Çetin Şadi, who is a heart transplant candidate due to advance-stage heart failure, held on the life through an artificial heart transplant operation performed successfully at Near East University Hospital.
Asst. Prof. Dr. Özlem Balcıoğlu: "Due to the end-stage heart failure, Çetin Şadi's heart stopped 3 times within the last one year..."
Highlighting that heart failure is a very important health problem that threatens the lives of a large number of people and disrupts the quality of life severely and reduces the life expectancy, Asst. Prof. Dr. Özlem Balcıoğlu, who took part in the artificial heart implantation performed by the Cardiovascular Surgery Section of Near East University Hospital, delivered information about the patient's preoperative health condition: "Çetin Şadi, who had been suffering from cardiac arrhythmia due to end-stage heart failure, had frequent cardiac arrest and his heart stopped 3 times in the last year. The patient's held on life thanks to successful and timely interventions. However, the first line of treatments including medication, angiography, stenting, and pacemaker implantation was no more effective in supporting the patient's failing heart. The patient, who was connected to the respiratory machine during his last hospitalization, did not respond to medications and other first line treatment options. Hence, artificial heart transplant, which is the most effective treatment that results in higher survival rates in treating end-stage heart failure, had become inevitable.
Spec. Dr. Ali Önder Kılıç:"To implant a heart assist device was the only treatment option for the survival of our patient..."
Spec. Dr. Ali Önder Kılıç, who took part in the artificial heart implantation performed by the Cardiovascular Surgery Section of Near East University Hospital, also delivered information about the patient's preoperative health condition: "Çetin Şadi admitted to our hospital with the complaint of heart failure resulted in severe regression of heart functions known as ischemic cardiomyopathy caused by coronary artery disease and heart attacks. Mr. Şadi was really in a very bad condition; he was unconscious and his vital organ functions were impaired. For patients with end-stage heart failure that does not respond to any other medical therapy, heart transplantation or heart assist device - known as artificial heart- is the only treatment option for the survival of the patient”.
Asst. Prof. Dr. Özlem Balcıoğlu: "Due to the lack of readily available donor hearts, heart transplantation operations can be performed in a limited number in our country..."
Underlining that heart transplantation remains the gold standard for long term outcomes in patients with medically refractory heart failure, Asst. Prof. Dr. Özlem Bağcıoğlu stated that heart transplantation cannot be performed whenever desired due to the lack of readily available donor hearts. "Hence, a very limited number of heart transplants can be performed in our country. The lack of readily available donor hearts has led the cardiac surgeons to alternative treatment methods. Since our patient's condition required urgent intervention for survival, we have decided to implant a ventricular assist device, which is a leading-edge technique and a source of hope for patients who are waiting for a heart transplant but can’t be transplanted due to the paucity of donor. This ventricular assist device is a mechanical pump that surgically implanted to maintain the pumping function of the heart that can’t effectively work on its own. The heart assist device, known as artificial heart, helps the quality of life improve indisputably and the patient can return to his normal life that once he was restricted because of his heart failure”.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Barçın Özcem: "Near East University Hospital is the First Center to Perform Artificial Heart Transplat Operations in Our Country..."
Underlining that ventricular heart assist device transplant surgeries started to be performed at Near East University Hospital for the first time in our country six years ago, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Barçın Özcem stated that Çetin Şadi was the 5th patient that undergone an artificial heart transplant surgery at Near East University Hospital adding that all patients were discharged without experiencing any complications.
Spec. Dr. Ali Önder Kılıç: "Although heart assist devices greatly relieve the patients, heart transplantation remains the gold standard for long term outcomes..."
Highlighting that heart assist devices are mechanical pumps that take over the function of the failing heart in order to re-establish normal hemodynamic and end-organ blood flow, Specialist Doctor Ali Önder Kılıç delivered information regarding the patient's health condition after the operation: "The patient's body has adopted to the ventricular assist device without experiencing any complications and as a result, a very rapid improvement in his health has been observed. As the patients with mechanical assist device don't have to stay at the hospital, Mr. Sadi was discharged to continue his normal life that once he was restricted due to his heart failure.
The ventricular heart assist device transplant help to relieve the symptoms such as shortness of breath that can occur both during activity and rest, waking up with shortness of breath at night, reduced ability to walk, exercise and climb stairs, rapid or irregular heartbeat. The ventricular assist device (VAT) transplant also helps to protect the other vital organs from further damage. So, it improves the life quality of the patient. Following the recovery period, the patients can move very easily, climb stairs and exercise. They can drive, travel and have a better quality sleep. With the implantation of the ventricular assist device, the patients can substantially perform all actions that once they were restricted due to heart failure. Although heart assist devices greatly relieve the patients, heart transplantation remains the gold standard for long term outcomes” said he.
Çetin Şadi; "Right now, today, I am still alive and I owe this to the Cardiovascular Surgery Team of Near East University Hospital..."
Çetin Şadi, who had undergone a successful artificial heart transplant surgery, talked about what he experienced before and after the surgery: "Most recently, I was brought to the Near East University Hospital with complaints of severe pain in the chest and especially in the back. I was in coma and unconscious. With the consent of my wife and children, I had undergone a surgery for implantation of a ventricular assist device, known as artificial heart. On the 3rd day following the successful artificial heart transplant operation, I regained my consciousness. Day by day, I began to feel better and following my treatment in inpatient service, I was discharged. Right now, today, I am still alive and I owe this to the Cardiovascular Surgery Team of Near East University Hospital. When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive. I am happy that I am alive and living this privilege. I am able to meet my daily requirements and get on with my work easily".
Mr. Şadi ended his remarks by emphasizing the importance of heart donation: "Our people avoid donating organs as they don't yet have enough awareness regarding the issue. This leads to challenges in performing organ transplant operations. I believe that awareness fostering people for organ donation should be created".