Yahoo News C5 shows live open-heart surgery in groundbreaking TV
Note: this article contains graphic images taken during open-heart surgery which some readers may find distressing.
Channel 5 aired the first episode of a groundbreaking series that takes viewers inside an actual operating theatre on Tuesday night (November 13).
Filmed live at St Bartholomew's Hospital in London, the first of three episodes of Operation Live featured open-heart surgery being performed.
Surgeon Kulvinder Lall performed the procedure to replace an aortic valve on patient Kamal, while host Nicky Campbell provided commentary alongside expert Neil, who helped answer viewer questions.
Anyone who thought the programme may give us a faraway glance at actual open-heart surgery was given a shock as things got underway and we were shown close-up images of inside the patient's chest.
One of the main questions viewers had was about the appearance of the heart, which was very yellow in colour.
Luckily, Nicky was on hand to ask the expert, who informed us that every heart has fat around it and what we were seeing was not actually an abnormal amount of fat.
Im so hooked cant believe the heart is that yellow 😳 #OperationLive
- LUCI (@LuciSirrell1) November 13, 2018
#OperationLive I didn't know the heart was so yellow!! It's all extraordinary looking into the heart 😲😲😲
- Kitty (@_smitten_pone_) November 13, 2018
After almost two hours, the surgery came to an end and viewers witnessed Kamal coming off bypass and his heart beating on its own again.
It was an incredible moment of television, as audiences got an up-close look at the working of a human heart.
While the programme did a great deal to teach viewers more about the heart, perhaps more importantly, it taught us about the amazing work carried out by members of the NHS all over the country.
Love programs like this that shows the amazing work doctors, nurses and surgeons do to save or improve a person's life. #OperationLive
- poolieboy1🇬🇧 (@Poolieboy1Les1) November 13, 2018
Watching #OperationLive makes me so proud of our NHS. Seeing a chest being opened to show a beating heart was absolutely incredible. Every member of that theatre team making a difference 😇
- Karen Mills (@kazzy_lou279) November 13, 2018
Hats off to @kulvinderlall for his tremendous skill! I don't think I could ever do what he does. I bow down to you sir! @channel5_tv #OperationLive
- Michael Bird (@birdyboyuk) November 13, 2018
@BartsHospital #OperationLive this is amazing!!! I could watch this everyday. Bloody well done to these guys saving our hearts ♥️ 👌🏼#OpenHeartSurgery @channel5_tv @kulvinderlall
- Angela (@angelbar1) November 13, 2018
Amazing watch, and better than any of that reality tv stuff whats usually on. These surgeons and staff need to be paid correct in line with what they do. Saving lives. #OperationLive
- Ayaz khan (@Ayazkhaan) November 13, 2018
This #OperationLive is absolutely unbelievable. Doctors and surgeons are just absolute geniuses ❤️❤️❤️ #grateful
- Shane Nolan (@iamshanenolan) November 13, 2018
Amazing! What a wonderful team! Truly is mind blowing ❤️. Inspiring for the NHS to be shown in such a positive light. Well done channel five #OperationLive
- Louise Griffiths (@Lou_Griff1) November 13, 2018
#OperationLive my god I am fascinated!!! What amazing people we have working for the #nhs .... unbelievable!!!! 👏🏼👏🏼
- Rachel McKeever (@MissRMcKeever) November 13, 2018
Tbh anyone that doesn’t appreciate the NHS should watch #OperationLive 🤷🏼♀️
- Obscure🖤 (@blxck_lightx) November 13, 2018
As if we needed any reminders - #OperationLive just goes to show how truly amazing our NHS is and how far we’ve advanced medically. @kulvinderlall making something so delicate look like a walk in the park! #inspiration
- Adam Foster (@fosterrugby) November 13, 2018
And after seeing their work close up, many also called for a pay rise for surgeons.
#OperationLive wow... Lost for words... How does a footballer earn more than these surgeons?
- Alan Taylor (@AlanF1108) November 13, 2018
Im sorry but after watching this and seeing the skill that goes into surgery, i think its utterly appalling that footballers get paid millions for doing f all, and surgeons less than 100,000 a year. #OperationLive
- MollyEmma (@MollyYouart) November 13, 2018
These are the people who should be on £50, 000 - £100,000 a week not your average prem league footballer #OperationLive
- AdamFoz (@Adamfoz) November 13, 2018
Kalvinder is a legend 👏 Why do footballers get paid way more than him? #OperationLive
- Rachel JESS GLYNNE ❤ (@Rachel0293) November 13, 2018
give surgeons and doctors £100k a week instead of footballers #OperationLive
- sean🦕 (@_lilyeet) November 13, 2018
Absolutely amazing watching open heart surgery on @channel5_tv. The Surgeons and their team deserve wages of premiership footballers. Incredible talent and hard work. #OperationLive
- Craig Noch (@CraigNoch) November 13, 2018
On Wednesday night, Operation Live will be going inside The Royal London Hospital, where surgeon Steven Millington will perform a knee replacement.
Operation Live continues Wednesday night (November 14) at 10pm on Channel 5.
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