MTRH records another milestone with Kenya’s first renal artery bypass surgery
Medics at the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH) in Eldoret perform Kenya’s first-ever landmark Renal Artery Bypass Surgery at the facility. Photo/Jeremiah Choge
Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH) has made a groundbreaking achievement in health care by successfully performing Kenya’s first-ever landmark Renal Artery Bypass Surgery.
The complex procedure was done on June 24, 2025, by Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery team led by Dr Stephen Takow.
The patient, a 20-year-old female, was diagnosed with renovascular hypertension, caused by severe narrowing of the arteries supplying blood to her kidneys.
After determining that less invasive options like angioplasty and stenting were not suitable, the surgical team opted for the bypass procedure. She is recuperating well and discharged home.
According to MTRH Chief Executive Officer Dr Phillip Kirwa, the surgery involved grafting a blood vessel--either from the patient or a synthetic graft--to bypass the blocked renal artery, thereby restoring normal blood flow to the kidneys.
"This historic milestone highlights MTRH’s commitment to advancing specialized care and surgical innovation in Kenya and beyond,” said Dr Kirwa while briefing the press at the facility.
The historic surgery came barely a week after the facility made another advancement in the health care sector after successfully conducting its first-ever Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI), also known as heart stenting.
This groundbreaking initiative marks a significant step in expanding access to advanced cardiac care in Kenya.
The procedures were carried out during a two-day medical camp, during which a multidisciplinary team performed the surgeries on seven(7) patients, all of whom received the treatment at no cost, thanks to full funding from the Social Health Authority (SHA).
Dr Kirwa said the patients were in serious danger of suffering heart attacks due to blocked blood vessels.
He said conditions like high blood pressure, obesity and elevated cholesterol levels are major contributors.
“When a heart attack begins, every minute counts. If we can open the artery within the first two hours, we have a very good chance of saving the patient’s heart muscle—and their life," explained Dr Kirwa.
Before this initiative, PCI procedures were available only in Nairobi, severely limiting access for millions of Kenyans living outside the capital.
“This is a breakthrough. We’re now bringing these life-saving services closer to the people who need them most. It’s not just a treatment—it’s hope for families across the region," said Dr Kirwa.
During the camp, seven patients, aged between 36 and 67, were successfully treated.
The group included five(5) men and two(2) women, many of whom had previously experienced chest pains or even multiple heart attacks.
MTRH Head of Cardiology Dr Felix Barasa noted that some of the patients had already survived one(1) or two(2) heart attacks.
“Until now, our only option was to manage them with medication because we lacked the tools for intervention. This time, we were finally able to physically open their arteries and offer a long-term solution," said the medic.
Each PCI procedure took between one and one-and-a-half hours, conducted inside the newly commissioned catheterisation lab at the MTRH Memorial Wing, equipped with high-end cardiac technology provided by the Ministry of Health.
Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI) is a minimally invasive treatment that helps restore blood flow to the heart by opening up narrowed or blocked coronary arteries.
It is commonly used to prevent or treat heart attacks, especially in patients suffering from coronary artery disease--a condition in which fatty deposits build up inside the arteries.
The procedure involves threading a thin tube (catheter) through an artery, typically from the wrist or groin, guiding it to the heart, and inflating a balloon to compress the plaque.
It is a game-changing addition to Kenya’s cardiac health landscape--reducing pressure on Nairobi facilities and ensuring timely intervention for emergencies.
“This is just the beginning. We aim to make PCI a routine offering at MTRH--not just for emergencies, but also for managing chronic heart conditions," said Dr Barasa.
