HIS HEART IN GOOD HANDS
Study shows doctors here well equipped for heart surgery
By Ng Wan Ching
December 08, 2007
FORMER police superintendent Mr Ong Lian Tat is a lucky man to be
alive.
Mr Ong survived a heart attack five years ago, thanks to his
surgeon's expertise. -- Picture: KELVIN CHNG
On his 64th birthday in September 2002, he suffered a massive heart
attack.
He made it, in no small part, due to his surgeon's expertise.
Said Mr Ong: 'It was Dr Kenny Sin who operated on me and saved my
life.'
As Singaporeans age, more and more will need heart surgery, say
doctors.
The good news is the latest report card on heart surgery in the two
public hospitals here is positive.
An information paper by the Ministry of Health shows that outcomes
from the National Heart Centre (NHC) and National University
Hospital (NUH) are comparable to those in developed countries for
both low- and high-risk surgery.
Elective or planned surgery is usually considered lower risk.
The paper provides an overview of heart surgery outcomes at both
hospitals from 2001 to 2005.
It revealed that those who undergo low-risk heart bypass surgery
have a one in 1,000 to six in 1,000 chance of dying.
Those who undergo high-risk surgery have a five in 100 chance to a
nine in 100 chance of dying.
Said Dr Sin, head and senior consultant, department of
cardiothoracic surgery at NHC: 'The man in the street who comes for
heart surgery can be assured of the best outcome.'
Mr Ong should know.
Said the grandfather of one: 'I was very lucky. Their excellent
care and expertise pulled me through.'
He suffered a heart attack while parking his car near a hawker
centre, and was sent to NHC.
Said Mr Ong: 'I told Dr Sin who saw me at NHC that I wanted to
live, I didn't want to die. I told him he must do his best for me,'
he said.
Said Dr Sin: 'Mr Ong was an emergency case. If we hadn't operated
on him, he would have died within hours.'
As it was, his chances of survival did not look good. He fell in
the high-risk group and Dr Sin estimated that he had a 20 in 100 to
30 in 100 chance of dying.
'We will be seeing more such high-risk patients as doctors and
modern medicine extend people's lives more,' said Dr Sin.
Mr Ong lived to see his first grandchild born and is now living
life to the fullest.
But as the paper reveals, the risk of dying is much lower if you
undergo elective surgery rather than wait for a heart attack.
For Dr Lim Huat Seng, who has a doctorate in computer science, it
was a routine check-up which saved his life.
Said Dr Lim, 63: 'I was trying to buy some retirement insurance at
the time. I had had my usual annual check-up but did not do a
treadmill test.'
The insurance company wanted him to go for the treadmill test. That
was in May 2005.
The test uncovered something very ominous.
He had two blocked arteries, one was blocked in a critical
position. If blood flow had stopped in that artery, it would have
affected 70 per cent of his heart.
'If I had had a heart attack because of the blockage, it would have
been an instant death,' said DrLim.
Shocked, he went for a second and a third opinion.
After the second and third doctors told him the same thing, he
realised he had to have an operation.
The grandfather of three decided to get his elective bypass surgery
done at NUH by Professor Lee Chuen Neng, chief & senior
consultant, department of cardiac, thoracic & vascular
surgery.
His operation was over in four hours and his recovery rapid.
'I was back at work after two weeks, even though I had a six-week
MC,' said Dr Lim, WBL Corporation's group managing director of
technology and manufacturing.
A month after his surgery, he was back to working 12-hour days.
Today, he's travelling to the US and Europe every three to six
months.
Said Prof Lee: 'Hopefully, everyone will go for regular check-ups.
The outcome for an elective surgery is much better than for an
emergency surgery.'
After Dr Lim's experience, many of his friends and colleagues also
went for a treadmill test.
'Three of them found blockages in their arteries. But it was not as
bad as mine. They are now taking medication and monitoring their
conditions,' said Dr Lim.