Ticker shock for farm boss

Carl Botes had a 10cm-long tumour removed from inside his heart in one of the most remarkable open-heart surgeries performed in the country.

Botes, 51, a farm manager from Hoopstad in the Free State, had been suffering from fatigue, shortness of breath and palpitations.

"Initially, they thought it was blockages in the stomach," he said.

In April, a rapidly growing mass was discovered, and doctors diagnosed it as "a highly invasive cardiac tumour", an extremely rare medical condition.

Botes had only two options available: to have the tumour removed or undergo a heart transplant. Although both options involved life-threatening risks, the transplant was the least possible owing to the long waiting list of recipients and shortage of donors.

"Doctors kept telling me that this was serious. I was laughing when I was told to get my (life) policies in order. I just went on holiday with my kids."

He had to opt for the surgery, a complex 10-hour operation led by Professor Francis Smit, head of the department of cardiothoracic surgery in the University of the Free State's health sciences faculty.

In May, he went under the knife. Almost half of his heart had to be removed and be reconstructed in Bloemfontein's Universitas Academic Hospital.

Smit said a team of 10 medical professionals were involved in the operation.

He said although other tumours were routinely removed from human hearts, Botes's condition was challenging because it involved the heart muscle. "It is among one of the most challenging procedures I've ever done," said Smit.

Botes, who is recovering at home, saidlife was slowly returning to normal.