Evolving strategies in the surgical management of rheumatic heart disease in lowresource settings: A Nigerian perspective
Keywords:
Rheumatic heart disease; valve surgery; low-resource settings; Nigeria; cardiac surgery access; health system challengesAbstract
Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) remains a significant public health burden in Nigeria and other low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) despite being virtually eliminated in high-income countries. The disease usually affects adolescents and young adults, who usually present with advanced lesions. Surgical management in this region is complicated by the prohibitive cost of cardiac surgery, delayed presentations, and limited access to specialized care. This review highlights the evolving surgical strategies for managing RHD in Nigeria. It discusses the burden and epidemiology of RHD, challenges in surgical care, traditional surgical methods, and emerging strategies to improve access and outcomes. It also presents the progress made in building local capacity, reducing reliance on international missions, and formulating sustainable approaches tailored to low-resource settings.
Disclaimer: This article was originally published by WisdomGale Publishing, 14 Rue de Grand-Bigard, 1082 Brussels, Belgium, and was migrated to International Medical Publishing Group(IMPG), India after the change of Publisher.
