ELDORET, Kenya – Doctors at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH) have successfully performed a high-risk emergency surgery to repair a ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), marking a major milestone for the Eldoret-based referral facility.
The life-saving operation was conducted by the hospital’s Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery team, led by Dr. Stephen Takow.
The patient, a 69-year-old woman, was rushed to the hospital with a ruptured aneurysm—an often fatal condition if not treated immediately.
Abdominal aortic aneurysms are dangerous bulges in the main artery that supplies blood from the heart to the lower parts of the body.
Often symptomless until rupture, they carry a mortality rate of up to 90% when not treated urgently.
Cardiothoracic & Vascular Surgery Team successfully conducts Emergency Aortic SurgeryMoi Teaching and Referral Hospital’s Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery team has successfully conducted an emergency surgery of a ruptured Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA).
The patient spent two days in the Intensive Care Unit following the procedure and is now in stable condition, hospital officials confirmed.
This is the seventh AAA surgery performed at MTRH, and only the second time the hospital has successfully carried out the operation on a patient with a ruptured aneurysm—making the latest case both rare and remarkable.
The hospital noted that the entire procedure and follow-up care were covered under the Social Health Authority (SHA), easing the financial burden on the patient.
The successful operation underscores MTRH’s growing role as a centre of excellence in cardiothoracic and vascular surgery, and comes amid ongoing efforts to expand specialised healthcare services beyond Nairobi.
Medical experts have called for increased public awareness about aneurysms, which often go undetected until they become life-threatening.
Screening and early diagnosis, particularly in older adults, could drastically improve survival rates.
MTRH is the second-largest referral hospital in Kenya and serves as a critical healthcare hub for the western and Rift Valley regions.
