• Abhijit Nath, NET Correspondent, Tripura 

Agartala, January 22, 2022 : Achieving another milestone in Tripura’s medical history, the Agartala Government Medical College (AGMC) and Govind Ballabh Pant (GBP) Hospital has successfully conducted the first-of-its open heart surgery on a middle aged patient.

Govind Ballabh Pant hospital, popularly known as GBP Hospital is the state’s referral hospital.

Cardiac surgeon Dr Kanak Narayan Bhattacharjee led the team of 12 members comprising of doctors and technicians of the Cardio Thoracic Vascular Surgery (CTVS) department and successfully performed the operation.

Addressing a press conference at the conference hall of AGMC here in Agartala, Dr Sanjib Debbarma accompanied by College’s principal Prof Dr Monjushri Roy highlighted the first open heart surgery conducted in the hospital.

Citing details of the success story, Dr Bhattacharjee said that recently one patient Madhavi Rani Das (46) of Udaipur town with her breathing issues had consulted with the doctors of GBP Hospital.

After detailed diagnosis, the medical team had found a big atrial septal defect at her heart, causing further damage to her heart and lung and age related factors are also multiplying the patient’s battle with the same.

Medical fraternities further decided to complete the open heart surgery of the patient and as per decision, the technicians team of experts has geared-up themselves and on January 20th (Thursday), the team through concerned efforts successfully completed the surgery during four-long hours, informed Dr Bhattacharjee and added that after passing of 24-hours, the condition of the patient is improving.

As the CTVS department successfully completed its first open heart surgery, the AGMC management along with doctors and staff celebrated the event and spoke about the journey which started after the establishment of the Cardio Thoracic Vascular Surgery (CTVS) department.

Cardio thoracic surgeon Dr Bhattacharjee said and head of CTVS department at AGMC, Dr Bhattacharjee said : “We have come a long way from not being able to perform a single open heart surgery after the inception of the department. We are working over it and require man powers and today we achieve the success”.

The super speciality department also has helped the poor patient who couldn’t afford to go for open heart surgery which is a costly affair in private hospitals in other states of the country and with its first open heart surgery in GBP Hospital, a big hope has emerged for the underprivileged patients of the state, unable to bear such expensive surgeries, further added Dr Sanjib Debbarma.