Nawaloka Hospital Heart Centre continues pioneering legacy

The Nawaloka Hospital Heart Centre recently welcomed Dr. Richard Saldanha, a prominent Cardiothoracic Surgeon, to its cardiac specialist team to continue its legacy as a pioneering heart specialist centre in Sri Lanka, with round-the-clock cardiac care for those in dire need.

Established in 1994 as the first-of-its-kind private cardiac centre, under the supervision of a specialist cardiac surgery team from the UK, and in line with international standards, the Nawaloka Hospital Heart Centre comprises the most experienced cardiac team in Sri Lanka.

Featuring specialist and experienced cardiac care nurses, some of whom have been in the profession since 1994 and are responsible for training many cardiac care nurses, currently working across local private cardiac centres island-wide, the Nawaloka Hospital Heart Centre offers two dedicated cardiac operating theatres, as well as a Coronary Care Unit (CCU), a Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (CICU), a Coronary Investigation Unit (CIU) and a High Dependency Unit (HDU).

The latter being for patients that need greater care, but who do not fall into the ‘critical condition’ category therefore, do not need to prolong their stay in the CICU. To date, this centre has carried out nearly 10,000 cardiac surgeries and 30,000 cardiac catheterisations.  

Resident Cardiac Surgeon Dr. Saldanha has been in the profession since 1983, with his most recent assignment, prior to joining Nawaloka Hospital Heart Centre, being Professor and Head of Clinical Services, and Chief Cardiothoracic Surgeon, at Sri Ramachandra University Hospital, Chennai, which carries out around a 1,000 cardiac surgeries a year.

He is also credited with 30 indexed publications in the field of cardiothoracic surgery, with his major areas of interest including beating heart by-pass graft surgery with total arterial re-vascularisation, valve repairs, repair of aneurysms and transplant surgery for heart failure patients.  

Dr. Saldanha received his cardiac surgery training at Southern Railway Hospital, Chennai, and Christian Medical College, Vellore; and further received advanced training at St. Vincent’s Hospital, Sydney, Australia, a leading centre for coronary bypass surgery and heart transplantation.