Research centre “Cardiology” prepares for Belarus’ first heart transplantation

The republican research centre “Cardiology” has started preparing for Belarus’ first heart transplantation operation, director of the centre Igor Adzerikho has told reporters in Minsk today. This year the centre has purchased an artificial heart apparatus and intends to buy an artificial left ventricle apparatus in 2008. According to Igor Adzerikho, this equipment helps sustain the life of the patients while they are waiting for suitable transplants. Some of them are on the waiting list for 1,5 years. In terms of professional skills the Belarusian surgeons are prepared for the operation, Igor Adzerikho said. “However, the thing is not about one surgery. What we need to do is to develop a donor-recipient system. Then we will be able to deal with purely technical issues,” he said. The issue concerning the after-surgery rehabilitation needs to be addressed as well. Igor Adzerikho noted that there are about 1,000 people in Belarus who need heart transplantation. One surgery costs around EUR 200 thousand. About the same amount is needed to provide a patient with medicines during the next ten years. The international practice shows the ten-year survival rate is approximately 50%.