Cardiovascular surgeon Albi Fagu said his team routinely performs multi-arterial bypass operations, off-pump coronary artery bypass (OPCAB) surgery – carried out while the heart continues beating – and minimally invasive techniques. He said the combined methods improve patients’ survival rates and shorten recovery time.

Prime Minister Edi Rama praised the hospital’s medical team on Monday, describing their work as “an inspiring example” of advanced coronary surgery being carried out in Albania.

In a video message, cardiovascular surgeon Albi Fagu said the hospital performs the most advanced level of coronary surgery currently available.

“The use of chest arteries instead of veins taken from the leg for bypass operations provides major advantages in terms of patient longevity,” Fagu said.

“Because these arteries are less affected by atherosclerosis compared to leg veins, arterial revascularization offers significant long-term benefits. Around 70 to 80 percent of our patients undergo arterial bypass techniques, and in about 40 percent of cases we perform the operation without stopping the heart,” he added.

Fagu said that for patients eligible for minimally invasive procedures, surgeons perform bypass surgery on the beating heart through small incisions.

“The use of minimally invasive techniques has a direct impact on patients’ postoperative recovery, reducing hospital stays and allowing for faster rehabilitation and return to daily life,” he said.

“This program, which we carry out on a daily basis at our hospital, represents the most advanced level of coronary surgery currently practiced worldwide, comparable to leading European clinics,” Fagu said, adding that results have been excellent across all quality indicators.

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