The Minister of Health and Social Protection Ogerta Manastirliu said that a CRT-D, an implantable cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillator, was implanted for the first time by surgeons in Albania.

The procedure also included implantation of a subcutaneous implantable cardioverter-defibrillator.

According to Health Minister, CRT-D are very expensive devices and the procedure to insert it is an extremely complex and difficult one. But the procedure was performed successfully on the 27-year-old patient thanks to the highly skilled and qualified medical staff and the investments in the state-of-the-art technology and medical devices and equipment in the recent years.

The interventional cardiologist at the hemodynamic ward, Dr. Ormir Shurdha said that the young patient was hospitalized for first time with a life-threatening arrhythmia two years ago.

He said that the patient suffered a cardiac arrest a year ago. According to him, the condition worsened and implantation of a device called resynchronization therapy was proposed, in a bid to save patient from sudden death and correct serious heart rhythm. He added that a subcutaneous probe was also inserted for cardiac defibrillation.

“This is a procedure performed for the very first time in Albania and it took five hours,” Dr. Shurdha said.

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