A “simple needle prick” to unblock an artery: Institut Cœur de Grâce innovates in vascular surgery

Institut Cœur de Grâce (ICG SA) carried out three vascular procedures in Abidjan during its second surgical mission, held from October 26 to 28, 2026. French vascular surgeon Aurélien Besancenot treated a femoral artery blocked along the length of the thigh using angioplasty, inserting balloons and stents through a groin puncture instead of making a large incision. Four patients had initially been selected: three with lower-limb arterial disease and one with a right internal carotid artery stenosis. The mission, conducted with ICG’s medical teams in its hybrid operating room, also supports the training of Ivorian doctors.