Perdita
23-03-2009, 17:55
An Italian surgeon has been hailed a hero after finishing a brain operation despite suffering a heart attack.
Claudio Vitale, 59, was in theatre at Cardarelli hospital in Naples when he fell ill in the middle of surgery.
Realising that his patient would not recover if he sought treatment for himself, Vitale continued with the operation for a further 30 minutes.
"I knew I couldn't leave the surgery then. I'm not really a hero, I just did my job," La Repubblica quotes him as saying.
Both the surgeon and patient are said to be recovering in the hospital's intensive care unit.
:eek: Hope they both survive
Claudio Vitale, 59, was in theatre at Cardarelli hospital in Naples when he fell ill in the middle of surgery.
Realising that his patient would not recover if he sought treatment for himself, Vitale continued with the operation for a further 30 minutes.
"I knew I couldn't leave the surgery then. I'm not really a hero, I just did my job," La Repubblica quotes him as saying.
Both the surgeon and patient are said to be recovering in the hospital's intensive care unit.
:eek: Hope they both survive