The Albanian doctor who performed a transplant of a person with Covid-19: The most difficult challenge of my journey!

By Lorena Fjolla!

Kristo Papas is an Albanian doctor in London. Having left Albania for 30 years, his journey has been long in the field of medicine. Recently, at the Royal Brompton Hospital, where he works, together with a team of doctors, they performed one of the rarest surgeries, a lung transplant of a person infected with Covid-19. In a statement to Dritare.net, he says this was one of the most difficult challenges he has gone through during his journey as a doctor.

Dr. Kristo Papas : The operation was quite delicate as the patient was with a massive injury to the bilateral lung part. Her young age, only 25 years old in this case was in our favor as medical staff but also in hers, as she managed to withstand quite well the intervention which lasted around 8-hours. Her condition after the operation was initially critical as our biggest problem was a sudden hemorrhage but we managed to stabilize it successfully. The patient today is quite well, enjoys full health and I am very happy that we managed together with the staff I work with, to perform this type of transplant that I would consider one of the most difficult in these times, a challenge successfully passed .

My profession is full of difficult moments but I would describe as a difficult moment and as a really great success this newly realized transplant since we faced double difficulties due to the patient who was affected by Covid-19.

Dritare.net : How many years have you been working abroad?

Dr. Kristo Papas: It has been about 30 years since I left Albania. At the age of 6 we left Albania to settle in Greece with our family. Then at the age of 18 I started higher studies in Italy and further with work experiences which have been developed in different countries of Europe and America.

Papas ndonëse shprehet se Londrën e sheh edhe për shumë gjatë shtëpinë e tij në aspektin profesional, nuk përjashton mundësinë e shkëmbimit të eksperiencave edhe në Shqipëri.

Dritare.net: Nga Italia, në Zvicër e më pas në Londër, cilat janë planet e ardhshme në planin profesional?

Dr. Kristo Papas: Eksperiencat janë të nevojshme dhe mjaft të rëndësishme dhe jam i detyruar shpeshherë edhe për shkak të punës të punoj edhe në vende të tjera në të njëjtën kohë por aktualisht në Londër jam gjithnjë e në rritje përsa i përket aspektit profesional pasi qendra në të cilën punoj është një qendër ndër më të mëdhatë në Mbretërinë e Bashkuar. Operacionet të cilat kryejmë në mushkëri dhe në zemër (ku mund të përmend kirurgjinë e rrënjës aortike, kirurgjinë miniinvasive , rikonstruksion të valves aortike) realizohen duke u bazuar në inovacionet më të fundit të shkencës.

Dritare.net: Si është situata tani në Britani? Në Royal Brompton, në çfarë pike jemi me krijimin e vaksinës?

Dr. Kristo Papas: At the moment in London the situation is normalizing. Covid-19 cases are under control. We hope to maintain such results in the future. As far as the vaccine is concerned, we are in an experimental phase and we hope to have important new developments in September.

Dritare.net: Will a Vlora man return to Vlora soon for a vacation?

Dr. Kristo Papas: Definitely yes! We love Vlora immensely, together with the family we can't wait to come and enjoy the sea and its wonderful beauties that we have missed so much! /Dritare.net