Meet Dr. Ikenna Omeje: Nigerian Surgeon Part of Team Responsible For Life-Saving surgery For Girl Born With Heart Outside Chest

Nigerian Consultant Congenital Cardiac Surgeon, Dr. Ikenna Omeje, was recently on the right side of history after he led a team of experts to perform a successful surgery on Vanellope Hope Wilkins, a seven-year-old girl born with her heart outside her body.

About The Surgery

The medical condition Venellope was diagnosed with is called  ectopia cordis – a rare anomaly in which the heart is abnormally located either partially or totally outside of the chest.

The surgery was carried out by a joint team from the East Midlands Congenital Heart Centre and Leicester Children’s Hospital, totalling around 20 people, including anaesthetists, surgeons, operating department practitioners, perfusionists and theatre nurses.

Speaking on the procedure, Dr. Omeje said, “Vanellope’s case is unique and very rare, so we brought our expertise together and combined several different techniques to perform this surgery. I was there seven years ago when Vanellope was born, as part of the team protecting her heart. Since then, we have been waiting for the right opportunity to close the chest and give her heart protection.

“It was a tricky procedure, and it has been a long journey to get to this point, but the sense of satisfaction you get knowing you’ve been successful is very special. I’m just happy to be able to help.”

Who is Dr. Omeje?

Dr. Ikenna Omeje is the Lead Pediatric Surgeon for Hospitals For Humanity, and he currently serves as the Head of Congenital Cardiac Surgery at the East Midlands Congenital Heart Centre, University Hospitals of Leicester, United Kingdom.

Born in Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria, Dr. Omeje has an extensive medical career spanning both the UK and Nigeria, Dr. Omeje’s achievement has been celebrated as a significant milestone for Nigerian professionals in global medicine.

 

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