TMR hospital conducts first closed-heart surgery

Kira-based TMR International Hospital has achieved a significant milestone in Uganda’s healthcare sector by conducting its inaugural closed-heart surgery, successfully ligating a Patent Ductus Arteriosus (PDA) on a nine-month-old infant at no expense.

PDA is a congenital heart condition where a blood vessel that should naturally close after birth remains open, causing abnormal blood flow that strains the heart and lungs. If untreated, PDA can lead to heart failure, poor growth, and life-threatening complications.

According to Dr Muhoozi Rwakaryebe, a consultant cardiovascular and thoracic surgeon and team lead for the surgery, such a surgery is intended to close a congenital defect that takes blood from the left side of the heart to the right, causing symptoms of heart failure.

“Whenever these are diagnosed, it is always better to close them early so that children can grow normally without complications such as recurrent pneumonia and failure to thrive. This is the first surgery of its kind at TMR International Hospital, and we have a goal to make such procedures routinely done here,” said Muhoozi.

The successful surgery team included cardiovascular surgeons, cardiac anesthesiologists and cardiac critical care nurses. Dr Cornelius Ssendagire, a consultant cardiac anesthesiologist & intensivist, who was the lead anesthesiologist in the surgery, says he is satisfied with the outcome.

“I am proud to be part of the team that performed this ground-breaking surgery. It was the first of its kind. The child is already recovering well and should be able to go back home in the shortest time possible. We thank TMR and the sponsors who made this possible,” said Ssendagire.

The child’s parents, coming from a financially disadvantaged background, were relieved to receive this specialised care at no cost, thanks to a strategic collaboration between TMR Foundation and Upasuaji International, a non-profit organization dedicated to improving surgical access across multiple specialities in the East African region.

Lynsay Balumuka, the executive director of Upasuaji International, said the successful completion of this surgery was the result of extensive planning and a shared vision with the cardiac surgical team at TMR.

“This accomplishment is a step forward in our core goal of increasing access to surgical care for children with cardiac conditions. We are incredibly proud of this achievement, which brings us closer to a future where every child has access to the life-saving care they need,” she said.

Meanwhile, Monica Karungi, the baby’s mother, expressed her gratitude.

“I was very worried about my baby’s heart condition, but TMR and Upasuaji gave us hope. I am so grateful to see my child healthy and smiling after the surgery. I feel like a burden has been lifted from our family.”

Dr Daniel Talemwa, executive director of TMR, emphasized the hospital’s long-term vision: “We recognize the incredible work already being done at the Uganda Heart Institute, which remains the backbone of cardiac care in the country. However, the overwhelming number of cases at the institute means that many patients face long waits, with constraints of the available resources at the public facility. Our goal at TMR is to complement and enhance existing efforts by expanding access to cardiac surgery through partnerships such as this one with Upasuaji International.”