It is among the most delicate of operations, requiring fine precision from a steady hand.
But
for a team of cardiac surgeons in Kyrgyzstan, performing open heart
surgery was made all the more complicated when their operating theatre
was plunged into darkness.
In
the midst of the blackout the dedicated doctors refused to let their
patient suffer, instead completing the life-saving operation by mobile
phone light.
Illuminating
their phones, the team held them above the patient's open chest as
torches allowing cardiac surgeon Dr Kaldarbek Abdramanov, 45, to
carefully repair patient Tagir Karabayev's heart.
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A team of cardiac doctors in
Kyrgyzstan were forced to complete open heart surgery in light from
mobile phones after a blackout hit their clinic
Illuminating their phones the team
held them above the patient's open chest as cardiac surgeon Dr Kaldarbek
Abdramanov, 45, carefully repaired Tagir Karabayev's heart
The 54-year-old patient's heart had stopped, the result of heart disease.
Dr
Abdramanov said halfway through the delicate operation the lights went
out, following a government crackdown on electricity consumption.
Kyrgyzstan
relies predominately on hydropower but has been struggling to generate
enough electricity due to low water levels in local rivers.
Dr
Abdramanov, head of the state-run heart clinic in the city of
Zhalal-Abad, in central Kyrgyzstan, said: 'Fortunately, the patient
survived.
'But these are the kind of extreme circumstances under which we perform operations on hearts that have stopped beating.
'I am not sure if it is a crime or an act of heroism.
Dr Abdramanov said halfway through the
delicate operation the lights went out, following a government
crackdown on electricity consumption
Kyrgyzstan relies predominately on
hydropower but has been struggling to generate enough electricity due to
low water levels in local rivers
Dr Abdramanov, head of the state-run
heart clinic in the city of Zhalal-Abad, in central Kyrgyzstan, said:
'Fortunately, the patient survived. But these are the kind of extreme
circumstances under which we perform operations on hearts that have
stopped beating'
'But
we now face a real dilemma. Do we continue trying to save lives hoping
that the lights won't go out, or do we just stop when they do and hope
the patient survives until we get the electricity back?'
Now
locals have said they will come to the clinic's aid, raising money to
buy a generator to power the clinic in the event of future power cuts.
Shop owner Tatyana Bobrovskaya, 33, said: 'Dr Abdramanov and his team saved the life of my friend's mother.
'What
they do is so important I want everyone here to organise a collection
so that if the electricity goes again, there will be enough light.'
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