Chandigarh:- Mohinder Kumar, 52, from Ropar, suffering from a serious disease of three heart valves and a large aneurysm in the aorta, got a new life after a successful, rare and very complex surgery at Max Hospital, Mohali. The aorta is the main artery that carries blood from the heart to the rest of the body.
Kumar had been battling heart-related problems for the last three years and his condition had worsened in the last four months. He was brought to Max with complaints of difficulty in breathing. A detailed examination revealed that there was a serious leakage in all three heart valves and a 53 mm. swelling in the main artery of the body. If it was not treated, the condition could have been life-threatening.
The surgery was quite risky as the heart was functioning at only 30 percent of its normal capacity. Despite the complexity of the case, a multi-disciplinary team led by Dr. Shashi Jindal, Senior Director and Head of Department—Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery at Max and Dr. Shailesh Ojha, Principal Consultant—Head Cardiac Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, took up the challenge and successfully performed the 11-hour surgery.
The procedure involved replacing two damaged heart valves, repairing the third valve and reconstructing the affected part of the aorta in a single operation.
Dr. “This was one of the most challenging cardiac surgeries we have performed. Cases in which both aortic aneurysm and severe multi-valvular disease are present are not uncommon. A very small percentage of patients undergoing aneurysm surgery have disease affecting multiple heart valves, and such conditions are often treated through procedures performed in different stages. Treating all these life-threatening conditions in a single surgery was essential to improve the patient’s chances of recovery.”
Dr. Ojha said, “The patient’s heart function was already significantly impaired, which increased the risk of the surgery. Despite the complexity of the procedure, the surgery was successful and the patient’s recovery has been encouraging.”
Post-surgery, the patient’s condition steadily improved under close monitoring by the critical care team and he was discharged after 16 days.