The doctors at Kauvery Hospital here have performed a complex surgery on an 81-year-old man using a combination of advanced techniques including a ventricular assist pump, an extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) machine and shock wave lithotripsy for opening a heavily cemented block in the left main artery of his heart.
A statement issued by the hospital said that the patient’s heart was sustained on less than 10% blood flow, which later progressed into a heart attack prior to the surgery.
Apart from this, the patient had survived cancer, was on a cardiac pacemaker and had other complications like compromised kidney functions, chronic lung disease, diabetes and hypertension.
He also had completely calcified blocks to arteries on both arms and critical blocks in all three arteries of gastro-intestinal tract, adding significant risks to any treatment.
S. Manoj, senior consultant and interventional cardiologist at the hospital, said as a bypass surgery was ruled out due to low chances of success, it was decided to perform a complex angioplasty treatment in two stages. “The first stage of peripheral angioplasty successfully created the access in the artery of his right arm by using high shockwaves to break down hard cemented blocks. During this procedure, temporary filters were placed in arteries on either side of his brain to help prevent a stroke,” he said.
In the second stage performed in a hybrid cath lab, he said that a ventricular assist pump device was placed to help maintain blood circulation and reduce heart’s work load. “We also placed him additionally on an ECMO to support with blood circulation through an artificial lung as we anticipated a high risk of cardiac arrest. “The blocks were then removed from the main artery of his heart through angioplasty that went on for over 11 hours,” he said.
The doctors’ team included Sundar Chidambaram, senior cardiologist, and Raghuram, chief cardio-thoracic surgeon.
Aravindan Selvaraj, executive director, Kauvery Hospital, lauded the team for the successful surgery despite many odds.