Manmohan making ‘excellent’ recovery

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who underwent a successful coronary by-pass surgery , is making excellent recovery. His personal physician Dr KS Reddy said that the PM has been “breathing on his own” and is “fully conscious”, reports Jaya Shroff Bhalla.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who underwent a successful coronary by-pass surgery on Saturday, is making excellent recovery. His personal physician Dr KS Reddy said that the PM has been “breathing on his own” and is “fully conscious”.

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In a procedure that lasted close to 13 hours on Saturday, five grafts were done to overcome multiple blockages in Singh’s blood vessels.

According to Reddy, the PM was put off the ventilator at 1 am, and has been breathing normally since then. “He spoke with doctors and family on Sunday morning,” he said.

In a conversation with Dr Sampath Kumar, head of the cardio vascular department at the AIIMS, Singh said: “I chose AIIMS because I have confidence in your abilities.” According to Kumar, the PM is recovering better than anticipated and is eager to get back to normal activity.

Anaesthesia, medication and respiratory physiotherapy are ensuring that the PM is free from pain.

Dr Ramakant Panda, the chief surgeon said: “He is recovering well on all parameters — blood pressure, heart rate, oxygen flow and urine discharge.”

According to the doctors, the PM will be kept under observation for a week. The doctors are expecting the PM to attend to some of the official duties after two weeks, most of his official duties after four weeks and be fully active and functional by six weeks or even before. “He will be more active now,” said Panda.

On being asked why the blockages weren’t detected, his personal physician and senior cardiologist Dr K.S. Reddy said the last rounds of exhaustive tests were conducted on the PM in October. “Blockages sometimes occur within days, sometimes within months and sometimes it may take even longer. One can’t set a time frame to it,” added Dr Sampath Kumar, head of the cardio vascular department at the AIIMS.

He was brought to the hospital when he complained of uneasiness in the chest. Angiogramme and other heart related tests was conducted on the PM on January 21, following which he was admitted for surgery on Friday. On Saturday, he underwent a successful by-pass.