‘We are pursuing a miracle’: Doctor describes battle to save Sırrı Süreyya Önder

The condition of Sırrı Süreyya Önder, deputy speaker of the parliament and a prominent figure in the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party, remains highly critical following a life-threatening cardiac event earlier this month.

Önder suffered a cardiac arrest due to a ruptured aorta on the night of Apr 15 at his home in İstanbul. He was immediately hospitalized and has been in intensive care since then.

In an interview with Mezopotamya Agency (MA), Professor Ertan Sağbaş, head of Cardiovascular Surgery at Florence Nightingale Hospital, detailed the intensive and multifaceted efforts to save Önder’s life, describing the process as “a pursuit of a miracle.”

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Sağbaş recounted that Önder was rushed to the hospital unconscious. The diagnosis of aortic dissection, where the layers of the aorta, the main artery leading to the heart, tear apart, was confirmed via echocardiography, prompting immediate surgery. The medical team had no prior knowledge of the patient’s identity when they mobilized.

“We would have responded in the exact same way regardless of who the patient was,” he emphasized.

The emergency surgery lasted about 12 hours. A bypass was performed using a vein from Önder’s leg. Given the damage to his heart, he was placed on an ECMO device, a form of artificial heart-lung support. The operation concluded without closing the chest completely due to cardiac swelling.

Neurological concerns

After the surgery, the medical team has observed initial signs of recovery in the right side of the heart, which had previously shown no activity. However, brain function remains uncertain.

Prof. Sağbaş explained that Önder has not regained consciousness, and a recent CT scan indicated severe brain swelling. Despite receiving no sedatives, he remains unresponsive, which doctors believe could be due to a lack of oxygen to the brain or poor blood flow caused by the tear reaching a major artery.

“There's still a high degree of uncertainty,” said the doctor. “We don’t know what kind of neurological condition lies beneath the edema.”

Önder is receiving many different treatments, including drugs to support his heart, reduce swelling in the brain and blood vessels, and prevent infection or blood clots. Doctors are also carefully managing his fluid levels to help reduce swelling.

Prof. Sağbaş added that Önder already had an aortic aneurysm, a bulge in the main artery, measuring 4.6 centimeters. Although not initially considered to require surgery, the condition was exacerbated by a suspected connective tissue disorder, which compromised the strength of the aortic wall.

Cautious hope

The doctor refrained from giving any timeline for potential recovery, noting the unpredictability of such complex cases. “We’re moving day by day,” he said. “We’ve seen some progress in reducing the edema, but there’s still a long road ahead.”

Despite the grim odds, the medical team continues to work relentlessly. “We are trying to achieve a miracle,” Prof. Sağbaş repeated. “Our hope remains, even if the chances are slim.”

Sırrı Süreyya Önder, 61, is a socialist politician and filmmaker known for his advocacy of Kurdish rights and his role in the Kurdish peace initiatives, including the unsuccessfull peae attempt in the 2010s and the currently ongoing talks. His critical health condition has drawn widespread concern across the political spectrum. (VK)