Turkish surgeon leads Pakistan’s first 16-hour advanced heart surgery at NICVD

The National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD) in Karachi has achieved a major breakthrough in the country’s medical sector by successfully carrying out a highly advanced cardiac procedure, known as “Total Arch Replacement with the Frozen Elephant Trunk Technique,” on a 16-year-old boy from Khairpur.

The operation, which continued for more than 16 hours, has been described as a historic milestone for Pakistan’s heart-care system. Recognising the complexity of the case, NICVD invited Turkish cardiovascular specialist Prof. Ugursay Kiziltepe to work alongside its own surgical team.

Under Prof. Kiziltepe’s supervision, the surgery was completed in collaboration with NICVD cardiac surgeon Dr. Khuzaima Tariq, Prof. Asad Bilal Awan, cardiovascular surgeon Dr. Fahad from the Trauma Centre Karachi, and anesthesiology consultant Prof. Amin M. Khuwaja.

Hospital officials confirmed that the teenage patient is recovering well and displaying positive post-surgery improvement.

Despite the fact that such a procedure typically costs around Rs 6 million, the operation was conducted entirely free of charge, made possible through the support of the Government of Sindh.

Speaking after the successful outcome, Prof. Kiziltepe said it had been “an honor to work with the skilled and dedicated team at NICVD,” noting that the operation marked the first-ever successful use of the Frozen Elephant Trunk technique in Pakistan.

He said the accomplishment underscores NICVD’s ability to undertake highly specialised cardiovascular surgeries that, until now, were only performed in a limited number of centres worldwide.