The Public TV report on brave Mkrtich. The boy suffered shrapnel wounds in Vank village, Martakert. For the past few days, Vazgen has been caressing his son with extreme care, almost not touching. He dreads causing any more pain to his son. There are hundreds of pieces of shrapnel in his 13-year-old son’s body. He shares a recent photo taken in the hospital, relieved that his son is looking better now.   Vazgen Hovoyan: “My wife sent me to take pictures of our children. When I returned, she was out of the operating room.” His wife is also dealing with shrapnel wounds, and she is undergoing treatment in a different hospital.    They used to live in Vank village in Martakert after the 2020 war, having moved from Dadivank.    Mkrtich Hovoyan: “We were at home, just sitting, when…”   An explosion occurred. AnAzerbaijani missile, originally aimed at civilian objects, landed directly on their house.   Mkrtich Hovoyan: “First, there was a yellow light, then an explosion. Everything turned black afterwards. And…I woke up, but I can't remember whether I fell or not…My chest hurt, and I got back on my feet.”   They transported him to the hospital and performed two surgeries.   Albert Lalazaryan, Pediatric Surgeon: “He had a multifragmentary fracture of the left mandibular ramus, fortunately without displacement. He also had a first left rib fracture, again without displacement. In addition, he has a foreign body (fragments from the bomb) in the lower lobe of the left lung, with a lower lobe contusion of the left lung and hemothorax. There was also a foreign body in his spleen.”   His stomach was wounded in three parts, his small bowels in 15 places, and the large bowel in one.  Albert Lalazaryan, Pediatric Surgeon: “He underwent a surgery, during which a colostomy was created on the left side.” Mkrtich Hovoyan: “At first, these two wounds caused intense pain, and I couldn’t move my hand like this. But over time, these wounds healed.”    There was a foreign body in his right wrist area.     Mkrtich Hovoyan: “I could not feel my finger up to this part, and my thumb hurt as well. Surgeons operated on it, and now I can move all my fingers, except the thumb, which still hurts.”   Even today, he carries numerous shrapnel fragments in his soft tissue, from head to toe.   Albert Lalazaryan: “The most significant risk we face today is the fragment lodged in his lower lobe of the lung, which can damage the lung tissue during breathing movements and could, at some point, come into proximity with major blood vessels, potentially causing severe bleeding.”   Currently, they are awaiting removal of the fragment, which may also necessitate the removal of a part of his lung. Another concern is the foreign body in his spleen.   Albert Lalazaryan: “The fragment in the spleen is currently stable, and the risk of bleeding is relatively low, but there is a potential risk of infection. If an infection were to occur in the spleen, it would present a problem and we might need to consider spleen removal.”   Specialists assure that the effects of shrapnel wounds will become noticeable in the months ahead. However, Mkrtich remains positive and resolute:   Mkrtich Hovoyan: “Everything is going well.”

  Colleagues from the US, including Professor Paul Merguerian, a pediatric urologist from Seattle Children's Hospital, and pediatric surgeon Caitlin Smith, visited the “Arabkir” medical center during their regular two-week visit.   Working alongside our team of uro-surgical specialists, the experts from the US conducted over 40 consultations and performed operations aimed at treating rare developmental defects. These conditions included epispadias, disorders of sex development, adrenogenital syndrome, complex cases of hypospadias, as well as anomalies of the anus, rectum, developmental defects of the colon (Hirschsprung's disease), and acute purulent inflammatory diseases in the form of perirectal fistulas.   The operations were successful, and the patients are currently in the post-operative phase. We also provided separate consultation hours, not only for new patients but also for those who had previously undergone such procedures and are under continuous doctor supervision.

  Professor Oleg Rummo and his team from the Minsk Scientific and Practical Center of Surgery, Transplantology and Hematology, paid another visit to the “Arabkir” Medical Complex. The primary focus of our 4-year cooperation is children’s liver transplantation. Besides discussing the details of new surgeries, the team also met with previously operated patients and their parents, evaluating the children’s condition.    The patient operated on during this visit was 14-year-old Rafael Khachinyan. The boy was diagnosed with liver fibrosis, cirrhosis and transplantation was indicated. The operation went successful, and Rafael is now in the post-operative recovery phase. His family is from the Tsaghkavan village in Tavush region. The total cost of operation was 19 million AMD, of which 5 million AMD was provided by the government, and the remaining 14 million was raised through the fundraising organized by the “Heath Fund for Children of Armenia”.    We are grateful for our patients, including Rafael, and all kind people who have contributed to this cause. Your donations have helped our children, their families and doctors in their difficult journey. Your support is truly invaluable. 

Beautiful Khadija is from Algeria. She came to “Arabkir” MC by mediation of the Association for Bladder Exstrophy Community /ABEC/ and a longtime friend of our surgical team, Professor Paul A. Merguerian from Seattle Children’s Hospital.    25 year old Khadija was born with bladder exstrophy and has had surgeries, however, urinary incontinence persisted, causing a number of social and psychological problems. To solve the problem, the Monti-Mitrofanoff procedure was performed increasing urinary bladder capacity with intestinal segment. We are pleased to inform, that the operation and post-operative period went well and Khadija returned home last night, free of psychological and social difficulties she said she had before coming to “Arabkir”. The President of ABEC interviewed Khadija about her experience, how one “search” on Facebook changed her life, bringing her from Algeria to Armenia and giving the girl, in her words, a freedom that is dearer than anything.     Thank you, dear doctors!

The fourth liver transplant on a child was performed yesterday in “Arabkir” Medical Complex by our team and Belarusian partners. Doctors avoid talking about the results of such complex operations, because, as they say, the operation is only the half of the job and the postoperative period is important as well. According to professor Rummo, despite all the difficulties that these complex operations have, the surgical part was successful and the data of the first day allows us to be optimistic about the results. “Arabkir” MC thanks the whole transplant team, our colleagues from the State Institution “Minsk Scientific and Practical Center for Surgery, Transplantology and Hematology” and Health Fund for the Children of Armenia (HFC Armenia), supporters, the Ministry of Health of the RA, MoH of Artsakh Rep. for combining efforts and helping the little kid from Artsakh.    #livertransplant #ArabkirMC #MinskScientificPracticalCenterforSurgeryTransplantionandHematology #լյարդիփոխպատվաստում #ԱրաբկիրԲՀ

Our colleagues from Belarus in the field of liver transplant, headed by professor Oleg Rummo, are back in “Arabkir” MC. Today they met already operated patients and their parents, assessed childrens’ condition and gave medical advice to patients, who, according to Armenian colleagues, need liver transplant.    By the way, the photos of professor Rummo and professor Babloyan are taken by Michael, one of our little patients, who has had a liver transplant.

Deputy Director of Surgical services of “Arabkir” MC Sergey Babloyan, MD and surgeon Romik Sargsyan were in “Austrian Child and Mother Hospital Of Gyumri”. And operated some of them. During their visit our surgeons received twenty patients with congenital urogenital  anomalies and operated some of them.  This kind of professional visits are valuable especially for regional clinicians and give them an opportunity to learn theoretical innovations practically right at their workplace.   

The 200th kidney transplant was performed in “Arabkir” MC: 200 saved lives with the efforts and devotion of donors and doctors.  The first kidney transplant here was performed in May, 1991. The idea of the program came to professor Ara Babloyan after the earthquake, when many people, including children, who were left under the ruins, needed hemodialysis. However, hemodialysis could not be the final solution to that problem, especially in children; it affects the quality of life. Transplantation is considered a much more effective and guaranteed approach. The kidney transplant is performed by a multidisciplinary team. First, after discussing and taking into consideration medical, psychological and other aspects, the patient - donor pair is chosen, then the actual operation takes place. Surgeons work in two operating rooms in parallel. In the first operating room they take the organ from the donor, and in the second one they place it in the recipient՚s body. Then post-operative care and follow-up care of recipients starts. By the way, the Recipient՚s follow-up care department in “Arabkir” MC is the only one in Armenia. Currently, 180 patients are registered here, most of them - 163, with transplanted kidney, 16 with transplanted liver and one with transplanted heart. The video provides additional information about kidney transplant: patients tell about preoperative, surgical and postoperative periods, mentioning that the most important things in this difficult path are trusting in their doctors and the will to solve the problem together. 

Dear visitors, we gladly inform you that Adult Surgery Services fully equipped with modern technologies are available at “Arabkir +”. Both open and laparoscopic surgeries are performed here: Cholecystectomy (in case of calculous and acalculous cholecystitis) Herniotomy (inguinal, ventral, umbilical, epigastric) Appendectomy (removal of the appendix) Abdominal cystic masses (simple and complex cysts of liver, parasitic cysts, e.g. echinococcus) Colorectal surgeries (hemorrhoids, anal fissure, pilonidal cyst) Ambulatory interventions (with local anesthesia) For more information call 060 400 300 /22 20/ and 015 400 300 /11 49/.