The Karen Hospital Cardiac Services by CEO Dr Betty Gikonyo

Dr. Betty M. Gikonyo – CEO The Karen Hospital, Paediatric Cardiologist

Dr. Betty Gikonyo is a well known paediatric cardiologist with over 30 years of experience in the medical field. She was the first Kenyan peadiatric cardiologist and has been instrumental in the mentoring and training of majority of paediatric cardiologists in the country. She is both an interventional and non invasive paediatric cardiologist.
Dr. Betty Gikonyo is the CEO of The Karen Hospital and founder of the Heart to Heart Foundation. She is trained as a Post Doctoral Fellow in peadiatric Cardiology, University of Minnesota, U.S.A, Master of Medicine in Paediatrics, University of Nairobi, Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery University of Nairobi. Her work experience includes public sector in Nakuru, Kenyatta National Hospital prior to taking up full time private practise under the umbrella of the Nairobi Heart Clinic.

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The Karen Hospital Cardiac Services

The Karen hospital performed its very first open hear Surgery in March 2006, hardly three months after opening its doors in January 2006. Two patients, both students had Mitral and Aortic Valve surgery respectively. Both did very we, recovered and were discharged from hospital within 7 Days after surgery.

The Cardiac  program  of The Karen Hospital has since those early years grown and progress to Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting using both conventional pulmonary Bypass pump to take over the function of the lungs to innovative Coronary Bypass Surgery on a beating heart. The major surgeries have remained Valve Replacement  of either  single or double valves due to the high prevalence of Rheumatic Heart Disease in the community.

However we have also had a disproportionate number of Aortic Aneurysm repair,a significant number presenting already ruptured thus complicating the Cardiac Surgery as well as recovery in the Intensive care Unit.The Cardiac Surgery is only part of The Cardiac zProgram of the Karen Hospital. The no surgical   Management of Cardiac Diseases in the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory is a very active and advanced modality performed by our expert and highly experienced Cardiologists. We have both Adult and   Pediatric invasive and non invasive Cardiologist carrying out diagnostic and therapeutic procedures in the Cardiac  Laboratory.

We perform Angiograms, angioplasties with Stent placement , Valvuloplasty, Pacemaker implantation and Device closure of Congenital Heart Defects.  With advancement in Pacemaker technology, The Karen Hospital Cardiac team has embraced new Therapies including implantation of Anti Cardiac Failure  Pacemaker Devices . Implantation of these devices require danced expertise and The Karen Hospital is leading in the number of these devices implanted in Kenya and the Eastern Africa region. A specialized Cardiac Cath lab and Theatre Nurse ensures the department with a Digital Cath lab is well equipped at all times.

We have equipment and cardiologists who are based full time in the Karen Hospital who perform Many non Invasive procedures for the  Diagnosis of Cardiac Disease  . These include Echocardiogram with colour Doppler, Treadmill Exercise Stress Test,  24 Hour Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring, 24 Hour Holter Monitoring, 12 Lead electrocardiogram, and Pulmonary Function testing.

Our patients who access Cardiac services come from Kenya East Africa and as far as Addis Ababa and Djibouti.

We additionally teach and train clinical staff under our employment to carry out the Non invasive cardiac procedures including echocardiography, stress testing , Holter monitoring amongst others. .

In line with Devolution we have at The Karen Hospital have taken Cardiac Services to the Counties. On either fortnightly or Monthly, our team of Cardiac experts travel to Meru, Nakuru, Nyeri, Karatina, Thika, Rongai, Kericho and Central Business District of Nairobi County to carry out Diagnosis and Management as well as referral of Cardiac Patients. These County clinic are carried out in our Brach Satellite Clinics on Prebooked patients.

These County Cardiac Clinics are very popular Attracting over a Hundred Patients in one weekend. The services are comprehensive and Conclusive  and the act of taking Specialized Cardiac Services closer to the people at affordable packages is highly appreciated by the County residents.

We plan to extend these services to more locations on a Mobile track later this year.
Unfortunately Cardiac Disease continue to indicate a rise even in the rural populations and we can only anticipate greater need of our services moving into the future.