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Low-Cost Innovations in Global Cardiac Surgery
Hera Jamil1, Sruthi Ranganathan2, Aemon B Fissha3
1Life Sciences, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, ON, Canada.
Innovations (Philadelphia, Pa.)
|June 3, 2024
Summary
Cardiovascular diseases cause millions of deaths globally, with many lacking access to essential cardiac surgery. This review explores frugal innovations to reduce costs and improve perioperative and postoperative care.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Health Economics
- Global Health
Background:
- Cardiovascular diseases are the leading global cause of death, with 18 million annual fatalities.
- Cardiac surgical conditions account for up to one-third of these deaths.
- Access to safe and affordable cardiac surgery is limited for approximately 6 billion people, particularly in low-middle income countries.
Purpose of the Study:
- To address the significant costs associated with cardiac surgery.
- To highlight frugal innovations in perioperative and postoperative care.
- To explore how innovations can improve cardiac surgical care delivery in resource-constrained settings.
Main Methods:
- This study is a narrative review.
- It focuses on innovations in the perioperative and postoperative care spectrum.
- The review examines strategies to bypass resource constraints in cardiac surgery.
Main Results:
- Cardiac surgery is prohibitively expensive, limiting continuous operation in many centers.
- Innovations are being developed and adopted to overcome resource limitations.
- These innovations can benefit both high-income countries facing rising costs and low- and middle-income countries with competing health priorities.
Conclusions:
- Frugal innovations are crucial for making cardiac surgery more accessible and affordable globally.
- Addressing the cost of cardiac surgery through innovation can improve patient outcomes worldwide.
- The findings have implications for healthcare policy and resource allocation in both high-income and low- and middle-income countries.

