18 January, 2026, 1:25 am Central - 24°C Clouds

First ever quadruple graft heart bypass surgery carried out at Nadi’s Pacific Specialist Healthcare Hospital

First ever quadruple graft heart bypass surgery carried out at Nadi’s Pacific Specialist Healthcare Hospital

By Alipate Narawa
17/01/2025

The first ever quadruple graft heart bypass surgery without a single drop of blood transfusion because of the patient's religious beliefs has been carried out at Nadi’s Pacific Specialist Healthcare Hospital.

A team of highly qualified specialists carried out the complex and delicate procedure successfully at the Pacific Specialist Healthcare Hospital.

The quadruple graft bypass surgery which was all this while unheard of in Fiji was a result of months of planning and consultations between the patient and the hospital management and specialist team.

The hospital says the surgery which was led by cardiology surgeon Dr Sanjeev Khulbey who has thirty-years of experience up his sleeves was carried out within a duration of six hours.

Dr Khulbey says since the patient who is now recovering extremely well belongs to the Jehovah's Witnesses congregation, the surgery was done without the use of a single drop of blood transfusion.

He says because of this special requirement of the patient, the team worked very cautiously ensuring there's minimal loss of blood while carrying out the six-hour long surgery.

Dr Khulbey says out of the four grafts, three were performed as the Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG) which is a complex open-heart surgery that reroutes blood flow to the heart.

He says it is performed when coronary arteries that supply blood to the heart are blocked.

The cardiology surgeon says the fourth graft required a Coronary Endarterectomy to be performed as one of the arteries was hundred percent blocked with plaque which had to be removed through this delicate procedure before proceeding with the grafting process.

PSH founder and chief executive officer Parvish Kumar says the hospital is now well-equipped and ready to receive members of the Jehovah’s Witnesses congregation for any medical treatment they may require.

Kumar says this successful surgery led by Dr Khulbey is a testament in itself that PSH respects the religious beliefs of every patient that enters their hospital to get well and they will strive to provide the best in service at all times.

He says the team of Cardio Thoracic specialists have carried out three back-to-back open-heart surgeries each day from Monday January 13th to Wednesday January 15th with a hundred percent success rate while there are many patients who are currently at a review stage before proceeding with the option of carrying out surgical treatment procedures.

Kumar says each procedure has been unique and challenging in its own right and their team managed the entire operations very professionally and to the best world standards in their newly developed state-of-the-art cardiology unit.

He says there is more exciting news coming for 2025 with the first one being that they now have a highly trained Consultant Interventional Cardiologist based fulltime at their Nadi hospital in Legalega.

Kumar adds the hospital management has great pleasure in introducing Dr Srikar Miryala who is one of the best in his field.

He says Dr Miryala will now be based in-house and be available during emergency calls also.

Kumar says they have accommodated Dr Srikar near the hospital vicinity so that he will be able to attend to any emergency situations that come to them.

PSH Nadi now operates 24/7 and patients are welcome to visit them any time of the day or night on any day of the week.

FEATURE NEWS
Yaro Chiefs crowned Coral Coast 7s Champions in historic debut after defeating Ravuka Sharks 28–12
The Yaro Chiefs have made history by winning the McDonald’s Coral Coast 7s men’s title on their first-ever appearance at the tournament, defeating...
7 hours ago
LATEST NEWS
Father urges parents to view Back-to-School spending as investment in children despite rising cost of living
With only two weeks remaining before schools reopen on January 26, parents and guardians across Fiji are busy preparing for the new academic year, ...
7 hours ago

I could imagine them crying at home – Toribau
I stared at the wall for almost three hours after my parents left, I could imagine them crying at home. Those were the words of Aisea Toribau, who ...
8 hours ago

Kolinisau eyes Coral Coast 7s standouts for national squad selection
Fiji Airways National Men’s 7s head coach Osea Kolinisau says several standout performers in the McDonald’s Coral Coast Fiji 7s could be in line ...
8 hours ago

Moala Island eyed as game fishing tourism hub in Lau development push
Moala Island could soon become a game fishing hotspot under the government’s plans to develop a distinct tourism identity for the Lau Group.Deputy ...
9 hours ago

Concerns raised over rising hit-and-run cases, police call for driver responsibility
Concerns are being raised over the increasing number of hit-and-run cases, with Acting Deputy Police Commissioner Aporosa Lutunauga urging the public ...
13 hours ago



Stay tuned for the latest news on our radio stations

CFL radio frequencies
IN DEPTH
Electricity tariff increase for users consuming more than 100 units
There is an increase in the electricity tariff rate for consumers using more than 100 units from 1 January next year.Fijian Competition and Consumer ...
15 days ago

Fiji needs to act on human trafficking indicators associated with Grace Road Group
The United States remains deeply concerned about indicators of trans-national organised crime and human trafficking in Fiji associated with the Grace ...
26 days ago

Cheap seed oils are not good for our health - O'Neill
With over 80 percent of deaths in Fiji caused by cardiovascular disease based on the 2011 report, naturopath and nutritionist Barbara O’Neill is ...
27 days ago

TOP