For more than five years, 50-year-old tea farmer Hellen Nyakerario from Nyamira County lived with persistent and debilitating pain in her lower back and legs, a condition that slowly drained her strength and disrupted her daily life.
At first, the pain was manageable. But as the months turned into years, even simple tasks became exhausting. Nyakerario repeatedly sought treatment at her local hospital, where she was placed on painkillers, yet no clear diagnosis was offered.
As the discomfort worsened, she noticed a strange pulsating sensation on the lower left side of her abdomen. Despite several hospital visits, answers remained elusive.
Desperate for relief, Nyakerario eventually sought specialised medical care at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH) in Kisumu. There, advanced imaging revealed a life-threatening condition — a severely enlarged abdominal aorta, medically known as an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA).
She was admitted to the hospital on January 8, 2026, and surgeons scheduled an operation a week later to address the condition before it became fatal.
An abdominal aortic aneurysm occurs when the body’s largest artery weakens and balloons as it passes through the abdomen. The condition often develops silently, with no outward symptoms, making it particularly dangerous.
Dr Robert Sadia, a cardiovascular surgeon at JOOTRH, warned that a ruptured aneurysm is one of the leading causes of sudden death among adults.
“Once the artery expands beyond safe limits, it can rupture without warning, leading to massive internal bleeding within minutes,” he explained.
Nyakerario’s surgery was both complex and delicate.
A multidisciplinary team comprising vascular surgeons, cardiovascular specialists, anaesthetists, and critical care professionals worked together to remove and replace the damaged section of her aorta.
The successful operation marked a historic first for JOOTRH’s cardiothoracic unit, representing a significant milestone in expanding access to advanced vascular surgery in western Kenya.
Now recovering steadily in her hospital ward, Nyakerario says she feels stronger with each passing day. With the support of her family, she remains optimistic about resuming her normal life.
Medical experts caution that abdominal aortic aneurysms remain silent killers. Globally, the condition is responsible for an estimated 170,000 deaths each year, with adults over the age of 55 facing the highest risk.
Studies indicate that up to 80 per cent of patients die when an aneurysm ruptures before reaching hospital care, while emergency surgery still carries a mortality rate of more than 40 per cent.
For Nyakerario, the danger lay hidden for years beneath the surface.
Her successful surgery not only marked the end of a long personal ordeal but also highlighted the growing capacity of Kenya’s public referral hospitals to provide highly specialised, life-saving medical care.
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