A Warning Ignored Too Long
Sergei Volkov spent three decades building an import-export business between Moscow and Vladivostok. At 55 he was diagnosed with hypertension and borderline diabetes but did little beyond filling a statin prescription. In January 2025, during a Vladivostok business trip, he experienced crushing chest pain. Emergency angiography revealed severe three-vessel disease: 90% LAD, 80% left circumflex, 75% right coronary.
A Difficult Decision
His Moscow cardiologist recommended on-pump CABG — but the earliest slot was three months away. Given unstable angina episodes, waiting felt like a gamble. A colleague who had cardiac surgery in Beijing recommended SSAnkang Health.
Rapid Pre-Operative Review
SSAnkang's cardiac coordinator reviewed his images within 24 hours and arranged teleconsultation with the chief surgeon at a leading Beijing heart center. Confirmed: ideal candidate for off-pump CABG, avoiding the bypass machine to reduce stroke risk and shorten recovery.
72 Hours from Moscow to Beijing
The hospital invitation letter expedited his visa. Private medical transfer from Beijing Capital Airport to the cardiac ward. Pre-op workup — echo, carotid ultrasound, pulmonary function, blood panels — completed in 36 hours.
The Surgery
Off-pump CABG, 4.5 hours. Left internal mammary artery (LIMA) for the critical LAD graft, two saphenous vein segments for left circumflex and right coronary. Operating on a beating heart required precision stabilization and a surgeon experienced in thousands of off-pump cases. Blood loss under 300 mL, no transfusion. Extubated in the OR, transferred to ICU fully conscious.
Recovery Timeline
Day 1: ICU, sitting upright. Day 2: step-down unit, walking to bathroom. Days 3–5: corridors with physiotherapist, stairs. Day 7: 1.5 km walk in hospital grounds. Day 10: discharged with 12-week structured cardiac rehab program.
Coming Home Stronger
Stress test at 6 weeks: completely normal. Month 3: walking 5 km daily. Month 6: repeat angiogram showed all three grafts patent and flowing well.
The Numbers
Total Beijing cost: ~$22,000 USD including surgery, 12-day stay, medications, rehab program. Comparable off-pump CABG in Germany was quoted at $75,000–$85,000. Moscow's eventual quote: $45,000 with three-month wait.
Sergei has since referred two associates to SSAnkang for cardiac evaluations. Both received stenting rather than bypass — but both credit his recommendation with giving them access to world-class cardiac care at a fraction of expected cost.