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SCMP Reporter

DOCTORS will know at noon whether the 21/2-hour heart operation on the Governor, Mr Chris Patten, to widen two arteries has been a complete success.

  A team of doctors has been standing by at Queen Mary Hospital because there is a 30 per cent chance of a relapse and the first 24 hours after treatment are the most crucial.

  Doctors at Queen Mary Hospital said Mr Patten's immediate result was ''satisfactory''.

  The Governor's spokesman, Mr Mike Hanson, said Mr Patten was in good spirits and had even been able to make a few jokes during the procedure as he had received only a local anaesthetic.

  Mr Patten's wife, Lavender, was reported to have been in the treatment room throughout the procedure.

  His two older daughters studying in Britain were in constant contact with their mother.

  Mr Patten was expected to stay in the hospital for two or three days, and he would then rest at home for a further week before returning to work.

  Doctors said that about 30 per cent of patients who received percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty, the treatment for enlarging narrowed coronary arteries, suffered a relapse within six months.

  Patients who suffered a relapse could receive the same treatment a second time, but those who suffered a further relapse might be advised to have a heart bypass.

  But doctors were optimistic yesterday that Mr Patten would have an easy recovery.

  Hospital Authority Director of Operations, Dr Yeoh Eng-kiong, said: ''We are very pleased with the immediate results. The Governor is very pleased with the results and is now resting.''   Dr Yeoh said that if there were major complications, arteries could get blocked, which could lead to a heart attack, but there were no signs that this would happen.

  Mr Patten received no blood transfusion or stitches and was able to talk with doctors during the treatment in the Lewis Cardiac Catheterisation Laboratory.

  A team of eight doctors was looking after him.

     Doctors denied the Governor had jumped the queue to receive treatment at the Queen Mary ahead of other cardiac patients and said the decision to treat him two days after his condition was discovered was made for medical reasons.

  But in non-urgent cases, patients might have to wait three weeks to have the same treatment and would normally only be attended by one or two doctors.

  Dr Michael Tsang Tse-shu, consultant physician of the hospital, who attended the Governor, said the most important thing Mr Patten had to do to recover was to watch his weight and to avoid high cholesterol food.

  Mr Patten was transferred to a private room after his treatment and no visitors were allowed.

  At least 10 plain-clothes Special Branch officers were deployed outside the coronary care unit where Mr Patten was being treated.

  Corridors and footbridges leading to the eighth floor unit in Block J of the hospital were all guarded by hospital security officers throughout the day and only official visitors were allowed in.

  Notices were posted in the lifts that patients' relatives wanting to visit the eighth floor would have to apply to the duty nurse to get the approval of a doctor.

  All windows on the doors of the 8th floor corridor were covered to prevent people peering in.

  One Special Branch officer said the force had been ordered to keep all unauthorised people away because the Governor did not want to be disturbed.

  Mr Patten arrived at the hospital at 8.30 am with a drip attached to his hand and accompanied by a doctor.

  He was ushered straight into the Professorial Block for treatment.

   At about 1 pm, a Government House chauffeur, returned to the hospital carrying two bags of clothes and other personal effects for Mr Patten.

  The lobby of Block J was packed with baskets of flowers as messages of good will from various government departments and legislators arrived throughout the afternoon.

  Well-wishers included legislators Mr Allen Lee Peng-fei and Mr David Li Kwok-po, Tung Wah Group of Hospitals and the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hongkong.

  But flowers could not be delivered to the ward before being examined by the police.

  The director of the local branch of the New China News Agency, Mr Zhou Nan, yesterday sent his regards to Mr Patten via the Political Adviser's Office of the Hongkong Government.

  Mr Zhou hoped Mr Patten would set his mind at ease with his treatment so as to enjoy an early recovery.

  A scheduled Governor's question time session for the Legislative Council on February 11 has been cancelled.



Patten nearly through crucial 24 hours