FORMER President Glafcos Clerides yesterday underwent an angioplasty at the American Heart Institute in Nicosia to open two narrowed coronary arteries.
“The constriction of two vessels was found and an angioplasty was carried out, commonly known as a balloon, and three stents were put in place. The condition of Mr Clerides’ health is satisfactory,” a statement released by his doctors read.
Cardiologist Pambis Nicolaides said: “We are all very happy with the result of the angiogram and the angioplasty. We are happy because President Clerides overcame a difficult period last week in Larnaca, his condition stabilised and an angiogram was carried out at the right moment, with good results,” he said.
Interventional cardiologist Christos Christou, who carried out the angioplasty, said: “We diagnosed two arteries, one of which I believe existed since 2005 and another which we found on the right-hand side.
“Both arteries were repaired and we deemed that both are important for the functioning of the President’s heart. At the end of the day, everything is well and he needs observation. Now he is at the stage of recuperation and we hope everything will go well.”
Christou expressed certainty that the decision to carry out an angiogram was taken at the right moment and noted that, “the intervention was made as we had planned it.”
He thanked Clerides’ doctors for putting their trust in the American Heart Institute, as well as interventional cardiologist Savvas Constantinides, an associate at the catheterisation laboratory, who participated in the procedure.
Replying to questions, Clerides’ personal physician Iosif Cassios said the patient was fully aware of the procedure as it was being carried out.
Asked what 88-year-old Clerides was saying during the procedure, Cassios said that, “Mr Christou offered him juice during the intervention and I think this says a lot.”
Nicolaides said that during the intervention, “we also had nice music,” and Cassios added that, “we listened to sounds of the sea.”
Cassios also said that, “we have not decided” when Clerides would be discharged. “Be patient and I hope he continues to convalesce and everything goes well and with God’s help we will decide the time,” he added.
At Clerides’ side were his daughter Katy, his son-in-law Costas Shiammas, his close associate Pantelis Kouros, and several others close to him.
