Mangaluru: Cameroon patient undergoes successful heart surgery at KS Hegde Hospital

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Jun 17, 2026: A 38-year-old woman from the Central African nation of Cameroon has successfully undergone an aortic valve replacement surgery at K.S. Hegde Hospital, Deralakatte, overcoming significant medical and religious challenges.

The patient had been suffering from aortic valve disease for a prolonged period and travelled to India seeking treatment. As a follower of the Jehovah’s Witness faith, she declined blood transfusions, a core religious belief that led several hospitals to refrain from undertaking the procedure.

Seeking assistance, she approached the Jehovah’s Witness Coordinator in India, who referred her to Dr. A.G. Jayakrishnan, Cardiothoracic Surgeon at K.S. Hegde Hospital. Dr. Jayakrishnan has extensive experience in performing complex cardiac surgeries without the use of donor blood.

The surgery was successfully carried out by a multidisciplinary team led by Dr. Jayakrishnan. The team included anaesthesiologists Dr. Manjunath Kamath and Dr. Chethan Kumar, cardiothoracic surgeons Dr. Nareshchand Hegde and Dr. Anup Srinivasan, along with perfusionists and nursing staff.

Senior officials of the institution, including Dr. Sandeep Rai, Dean of K.S. Hegde Medical Academy (KSHEMA), and Dr. Sumalatha Shetty, Medical Superintendent of Justice K.S. Hegde Charitable Hospital, were also present during the occasion.

Hospital authorities said the patient recovered well following the surgery and has since been discharged. She is expected to return to Cameroon in the coming days.