Yashoda Hospitals > News > 31-Year-Old Ugandan International Footballer Given A New Lease On Life After Undergoing L-VAD (Left Ventricular Assist Device) Surgery at Yashoda Hospitals

31-Year-Old Ugandan International Footballer Given A New Lease On Life After Undergoing L-VAD (Left Ventricular Assist Device) Surgery at Yashoda Hospitals

Yashoda Hospitals – Department of Cardiology , Cardiothoracic and Heart -Lung mechanical assist devices team has successfully performed the latest JARVIK implant post auricular (behind the ear ) driveline for a 31 year old young international male patient from Uganda. Mr. Okwara Joseph, patient, is a professional international footballer. He experienced chest pain while playing football in Uganda on April 21.

He was diagnosed with coronary artery disease and severe Left Ventricular Dysfunction. He was admitted to the hospital several times in his hometown, with complaints of breathlessness, swelling in both lower limbs, and abdominal distension. There, he was diagnosed with ischemic cardiomyopathy. In November, he traveled to India for further treatment, and on December 13th, he was admitted for worsening heart failure symptoms.

The patient was thoroughly evaluated by our multidisciplinary team of doctors from the Departments of cardiology,Cardiothoracic, Heart and Lung Mechanical Assist Device, and a left ventricular assist device was planned as a destination therapy. Yashoda hospitals provided the most up-to-date and advanced treatment modality (JARVIK 2000 SERIES) with state-of-the-art facilities and cutting-edge technology. Mr Okwara Joseph underwent successful surgery on December 24, 2021, received a new lease on life, and was discharged from Yashoda Hospitals Secunderabad on January 28, 2022.

The JARVIK 2000 series is an advanced and cutting-edge LVAD device that is used as a destination therapy in patients with advanced heart failure, giving them a new lease on life.

Dr.Pavan Gorukanti, Director of Yashoda Hospitals, added “Yashoda Hospitals has one of the best cardiac, heart, and lung transplantation teams in the world, as well as a matching infrastructure that provides best-in-class services, cutting-edge technology, and pioneers in complex procedures.”