From a Medical Check-Up to MICS Bypass Surgery: Mr. Nam’s Story

Mr. Nam is an active man. Later in life, he still often rides his motorbike to take care of his work. Over time, he began to tire quickly and feel short of breath, symptoms he first brushed off as nothing unusual.

It Started with a Medical Check-Up

On his insurer's advice, Mr. Nam had a medical check-up that included a CT calcium score, a heart CT scan that measures the amount of calcification in the heart arteries. The result came as a shock: his calcium score reached 1,100, which is considered very high. The breathlessness he had dismissed as normal turned out to be a sign of narrowing in his heart arteries.

After that, Mr. Nam twice underwent an attempt to place a stent, but the stent could not be placed because the plaque was too thick. From then on, his condition weighed on his mind. “Since February, after the stent attempt failed, I thought about it every day. I think I was stressed too,” he recalled.

Discussions with the Heartology Team

Mr. Nam was then advised to consult further with doctors at Heartology. He met Dr. dr. Faris Basalamah, Sp.JP (K), a cardiologist, and Dr. dr. Dudy Arman Hanafy, Sp.BTKV (K)-D, MARS, a heart surgeon. After a series of heart tests, the team explained the option of bypass surgery, an operation that creates a detour for blood to flow around the narrowed arteries. Hearing the word bypass, Mr. Nam was scared at first, picturing his chest being cut open.

The thorough explanation from the team finally gave him the confidence to undergo bypass surgery using the MICS (minimally invasive cardiac surgery) approach. With this approach, the operation is done through a small incision in the chest, without splitting the entire breastbone.

Recovery and Getting Back to Activity

Mr. Nam was admitted in early May and had surgery two days later. He went home on the ninth day of his hospital stay. He also exercised regularly with the physiotherapy team to rebuild his strength. At the time of filming, Mr. Nam was walking and active again. In a six-minute walk test, he covered about 350 meters without feeling tired. He said he felt much more relieved and satisfied after the procedure.

To anyone who may be hesitant, Mr. Nam's message is not to be afraid of treatment if you have heart disease, to stay positive, and not to delay care. In his view, keeping your spirits up matters in finding a way forward. He even showed his surgical scar on camera. “Let me show you, this is my surgical scar. Don't be afraid,” he said.