Bengaluru: Minimal invasive procedure saves man from fatal heart condition

Bengaluru: Doctors at Sakra World Hospital have saved the life of a septuagenarian with a fatal condition using a minimally invasive procedure specifically designed for older adults.

When 74- year-old Narayan (name changed) experienced sudden excruciating pain in the stomach while lifting a heavy bucket, he was rushed into the emergency room of Sakra Hospital on July 15. As an ultrasound failed to reveal anything, a contrast CT of the abdomen was done.

The second test revealed a descending thoracic aorta that showed a penetrating ulcer. This ulcer is a precursor to the rupturing of the aorta, which, if not treated on time, could be fatal. Doctors also found that his blood pressure was already high and due to the strenuous activity of lifting the heavy bucket, the ulcer that was penetrating the aortic wall could make it rupture at any time.

According to Dr Deepak Krishnamurthy, Senior Interventional Cardiologist at Sakra World Hospital, Bengaluru a penetrating ulcer of the thoracic aorta is rare. Also, it is hard to detect one and is often missed as it does not show up unless a contrast CT is conducted. Also, it generally affects older adults who are above 60 and is mostly seen among smokers and hypertensives. The worst part of it is if not diagnosed and treated on time, it can result in the rupturing of the aorta leading to death in most cases.

Doctors decided to go for a minimally-invasive novel procedure called Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm (TAA) Stent Grafting that saved his life. "It is the least invasive procedure that makes recovery faster and results in shortened hospital stays compared to conventional surgery. It also does not require cardiopulmonary bypass and has a lower risk of complications," says Dr Rocky Katheria, Consultant, Interventional Cardiology at Sakra World Hospital.

The procedure is used to treat an abdominal aortic aneurysm, an enlargement of the aorta - the main blood vessel that delivers blood to the body, at the level of the abdomen. This technique has been seen as beneficial for older and more vulnerable patients.

"We did the procedure under general anaesthesia. The CTVS surgeon got us to access through the femoral artery from the groin and then we inserted the Endovascular stent into the aorta to cover the ulcerated area. The stent is a special kind, made of metal mesh covered with PTFE fabric." said Dr Deepak Krishnamurthy. The patient was discharged on July 22 after a successful surgery within a week. Following the procedure, he was kept under normal ICU monitoring and blood pressure control for 24 hours. He was discharged within 6 days of his admission in good health. He is now doing perfectly well with no signs of pain at all and an enhanced quality of life.