First open heart surgery performed in Belize - Heineman Foundation ...
First open heart surgery performed in Belize - Heineman Foundation ...
First open heart surgery performed in Belize - Heineman Foundation ...
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Ambergris Today | Stories | <strong>First</strong> <strong>open</strong> <strong>heart</strong> <strong>surgery</strong> <strong>performed</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>Belize</strong><br />
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News July 19, 2012 - 10:12<br />
<strong>First</strong> <strong>open</strong> <strong>heart</strong> <strong>surgery</strong> <strong>performed</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>Belize</strong><br />
BELIZE CITY, <strong>Belize</strong> -- On Monday, physicians from the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital (KHMH), <strong>in</strong> <strong>Belize</strong><br />
City, <strong>Belize</strong>, and from Carol<strong>in</strong>as HealthCare System (CHS) <strong>performed</strong> the first <strong>open</strong> <strong>heart</strong> <strong>surgery</strong> <strong>in</strong> the<br />
country of <strong>Belize</strong>.<br />
Adrian Coye, MD, medical services director at KHMH and Mark Stiegel, MD, FACS, cardiothoracic surgeon<br />
with CHS's Sanger Heart & Vascular Institute (SHVI), <strong>performed</strong> a coronary artery bypass graft on a<br />
72-year-old <strong>Belize</strong>an man. The patient is recover<strong>in</strong>g at the hospital, where he will be monitored for at least<br />
three days post-<strong>surgery</strong>. On Tuesday, the surgeons were due to perform a mitral valve replacement on a<br />
56-year-old <strong>Belize</strong>an woman, complet<strong>in</strong>g a second <strong>heart</strong> <strong>surgery</strong>.<br />
"This is a very special moment that has allowed everyone <strong>in</strong>volved to make history <strong>in</strong> <strong>Belize</strong>," said Coye.<br />
"<strong>Belize</strong>an patients should receive the same level of care as others worldwide, and we are thrilled to have<br />
reached this po<strong>in</strong>t <strong>in</strong> what we can offer for medical services <strong>in</strong> our country."<br />
Although <strong>heart</strong> disease is the second lead<strong>in</strong>g cause of death <strong>in</strong> <strong>Belize</strong>, the country lacked a modern<br />
cardiovascular diagnostic and <strong>in</strong>terventional facility up until 2011, when CHS's International Medical<br />
Outreach (IMO) Program began provid<strong>in</strong>g support. Before that time, patients would either not receive<br />
treatment or would travel to neighbour<strong>in</strong>g countries for cardiac services. Today, due to ongo<strong>in</strong>g support<br />
from the IMO Program, KHMH has the equipment and medical expertise necessary to diagnose and treat<br />
patients with <strong>heart</strong> ailments <strong>in</strong> the country.<br />
"This is an excit<strong>in</strong>g time for the people of <strong>Belize</strong>, and we hope this achievement paves the way for future<br />
improvements <strong>in</strong> the country's healthcare services," said Francis Robicsek, MD, PhD, founder and vice<br />
president of the IMO Program, a partnership between CHS and the He<strong>in</strong>eman <strong>Foundation</strong> of Charlotte<br />
(He<strong>in</strong>eman). "In collaboration with SHVI, we will cont<strong>in</strong>ue our support to KHMH and emerg<strong>in</strong>g cardiology<br />
program to provide susta<strong>in</strong>able cardiac care <strong>in</strong> <strong>Belize</strong>."<br />
The IMO Program donated and <strong>in</strong>stalled the country's first fully-equipped cardiac catheterization laboratory
Ambergris Today | Stories | <strong>First</strong> <strong>open</strong> <strong>heart</strong> <strong>surgery</strong> <strong>performed</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>Belize</strong><br />
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<strong>in</strong> February 2011 at KHMH, one of only two major hospitals <strong>in</strong> <strong>Belize</strong>. The laboratory, also equipped with<br />
diagnostic imag<strong>in</strong>g equipment, modernized cardiac care by 30 years.<br />
S<strong>in</strong>ce October 2011, the IMO Program has sent cardiology teams from SHVI to perform catheterizations <strong>in</strong><br />
<strong>Belize</strong> each month and will cont<strong>in</strong>ue to send teams until the <strong>in</strong>terventional cardiologist at KHMH is tra<strong>in</strong>ed to<br />
perform catheterizations alone. The procedures <strong>performed</strong> <strong>in</strong> the laboratory have helped identify several<br />
patients <strong>in</strong> need of <strong>open</strong> <strong>heart</strong> <strong>surgery</strong>.<br />
"We are proud and privileged to support our colleagues <strong>in</strong> <strong>Belize</strong> and to help them offer advanced<br />
cardiovascular services for the benefit of their citizens," said Michael Tarwater, chief executive officer of<br />
CHS. "Our <strong>in</strong>volvement <strong>in</strong> this momentous accomplishment is an outcome of CHS's commitment to<br />
healthcare <strong>in</strong>novation and its quality cardiology programs through SHVI. We look forward to cont<strong>in</strong>u<strong>in</strong>g our<br />
collaboration globally."<br />
The <strong>open</strong> <strong>heart</strong> <strong>surgery</strong> program at SHVI was ranked <strong>in</strong> the top 15 percent <strong>in</strong> the United States for<br />
coronary artery bypass graft and received a three out of three star rat<strong>in</strong>g by The Society for Thoracic<br />
Surgeons from July 2010 to June 2011.<br />
The IMO Program also helped make possible the first <strong>heart</strong> transplant <strong>surgery</strong> <strong>in</strong> Costa Rica <strong>in</strong> 2007, and it<br />
co-founded the largest, most comprehensive <strong>heart</strong> <strong>in</strong>stitute <strong>in</strong> Central America, located <strong>in</strong> Guatemala City,<br />
<strong>in</strong> 1984. The <strong>in</strong>stitute was established nearly a decade after the Program assisted with the first five <strong>open</strong><br />
<strong>heart</strong> surgeries <strong>in</strong> Guatemala.<br />
S<strong>in</strong>ce the 1960s, the IMO Program has donated a variety of medical equipment to hospitals and cl<strong>in</strong>ics<br />
worldwide, and it has facilitated free educational opportunities for medical personnel from facilities globally.<br />
Coye and other medical staff at KHMH have benefited from educational experiences at CHS's largest<br />
hospital, Carol<strong>in</strong>as Medical Center, <strong>in</strong> Charlotte.<br />
"This is a milestone <strong>in</strong> the history of KHMH and of medic<strong>in</strong>e <strong>in</strong> <strong>Belize</strong>," said Gary Longsworth, MD, chief<br />
executive officer of KHMH. "The procedures prove what can be done when you have a committed and<br />
determ<strong>in</strong>ed team, as well as wonderful cooperation from organizations like CHS and He<strong>in</strong>eman."<br />
News Source: Caribbean News Now<br />
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Well, belize too has a cardiologist which offers the best <strong>in</strong> cardiac unit. Open <strong>heart</strong>, or what these<br />
doctors do with all respect isn't as advanced as what he does with catheterization. I'm glad to see<br />
other foreign activities happen<strong>in</strong>g to help, but th<strong>in</strong>gs like this article above should be read and<br />
looked over because they are merely lies.<br />
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Ambergris Today | Stories | <strong>First</strong> <strong>open</strong> <strong>heart</strong> <strong>surgery</strong> <strong>performed</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>Belize</strong><br />
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Ambergris Today | Stories | <strong>First</strong> <strong>open</strong> <strong>heart</strong> <strong>surgery</strong> <strong>performed</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>Belize</strong><br />
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Pedro..... come on are we forgotten.<br />
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Pimp_tony92<br />
ALL YOU PEOPLE WHO COMENTED ON THIS<br />
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Chan Mar<strong>in</strong>e Reserve · 14 hours ago<br />
Bzerider<br />
Poach<strong>in</strong>g is not good!! However, be carefull on<br />
mak<strong>in</strong>g judgement or assumtions, there is no<br />
evidence of fish or fish parts, no evidence that they<br />
were even <strong>in</strong> a protected zone. The boat was not...<br />
Five Arrested and Charged for Illegal Fish<strong>in</strong>g at Hol<br />
Chan Mar<strong>in</strong>e Reserve · 15 hours ago<br />
ashamed friend<br />
they should be stripped from their tour guide,<br />
capta<strong>in</strong> and fish<strong>in</strong>g license. that is a slap <strong>in</strong> the face<br />
to everyone that makes a liv<strong>in</strong>g from hol chan. and<br />
post their pictures on the media so people...<br />
Five Arrested and Charged for Illegal Fish<strong>in</strong>g at Hol<br />
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guest
Ambergris Today | Stories | <strong>First</strong> <strong>open</strong> <strong>heart</strong> <strong>surgery</strong> <strong>performed</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>Belize</strong><br />
http://ambergristoday.com/content/stories/2012/july/19/first-<strong>open</strong>-<strong>heart</strong>-su...<br />
5 of 5 8/3/2012 4:25 PM<br />
Maybe you should all wait and see before jump<strong>in</strong>g<br />
to judgement.....<br />
Five Arrested and Charged for Illegal Fish<strong>in</strong>g at<br />
Hol Chan Mar<strong>in</strong>e Reserve · 18 hours ago<br />
F<strong>in</strong><br />
SEND THEM TO JAIL...<br />
Five Arrested and Charged for Illegal Fish<strong>in</strong>g at<br />
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Abel Guerrero Jr<br />
Not only should they be f<strong>in</strong>ed and encarcerated<br />
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example....acts like this should not be tolerated...<br />
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