Kirkuk Surgeons Perform First Full Pericardiectomy at Azadi Teaching Hospital

Surgeons at Azadi Teaching Hospital in Kirkuk successfully performed a full pericardiectomy on a 19-year-old patient suffering from chronic pericarditis. The procedure, the first of its kind at the facility, involved the complete removal of the pericardium to treat severe inflammation. The patient had presented with acute shortness of breath, leading medical teams to authorize the surgery following a series of clinical, laboratory, and imaging tests. The operation lasted approximately two and a half hours and required a sternotomy to access the heart. Medical officials confirmed the surgery was successful and the patient remained stable throughout the process. Following a period of postoperative recovery and monitoring, the patient was discharged from the hospital.