Knox Private Hospital celebrates 4000th cardiac surgery

3 September 2019

The team at Knox Private Hospital know the importance of a healthy heart – they have kept hearts ticking across Melbourne’s South East for more than 20 years and this month will celebrate their 4000th cardiac surgery.

Knox Private built its cardiac theatre and Catheter Lab in 1996, and in that time have performed more than three cardiac surgeries a week on average, saving lives.

The hospital will hold a morning tea on Wednesday August 28 at 10.30am to celebrate its 4000th cardiac case, which was performed on a 71 year old patient who underwent coronary bypass surgery.

The patient is recovering well and is thrilled to be part of this significant milestone at Knox Private Hospital.

Cardiothoracic surgeon Mr Nick Roubos performed the surgery after an angiogram, also performed at Knox Private, revealed the need for coronary artery bypass surgery and valve replacement.

“When your coronary arteries are badly narrowed or blocked, treatments like medicines, angioplasty and stents may not work well enough. You may need surgery to improve blood flow to your heart, relieve angina symptoms and prevent heart attacks and more damage,” Mr Roubos said.

“During the surgery, we take a healthy blood vessel from somewhere else in the patient’s body and attach it to either side of the blocked artery so that blood can bypass the blockage. The healthy blood vessel may be a vein from your leg, or an artery from inside your chest or your wrist.”

Knox Private Hospital Acting General Maager, Peter Wilkinson said the 4000th cardiac surgery was: “a significant achievement and a credit to the surgeons, anaesthetists, intensivists, cardiologists, perfusionists, nursing and allied staff who are involved in this complex surgery”.

“The hospital has a huge presence in the delivery of cardiac services in this large catchment area. Our Cath Lab undertakes 2000 procedures every year and our 60 minute time line from when an emergency cardiac patient attends the Emergency Department to when a balloon is inserted in the artery is a statistic we’re very proud of.“ The 4000th coronary artery bypass operation is really indicative of the complex, often lifesaving surgery undertaken at Knox on a daily basis.”