Chennai:

The Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital (RGGGH) witnessed a rare surgery treating the dilation of the blood vessel from the heart. Mani, a 55-year-old farmer who was admitted to the GH a month ago with complaints of difficulties in swallowing, was later diagnosed with thoraco abdominal aortic aneurysm (abnormal dilation of blood vessel).

“This is the first time we have saved a person with the blood vessel bursting, especially when the aorta, which is the major blood vessel, ruptures,” said Dr Kanagasabai, dean, MMC. “Only 50 or 60 patients a year get admitted with complaints of blood vessel enlargement, but this was the most risky surgery so far.”

“It was a matter of seconds to save the life, when the blood starts to pump out at a high pressure after the blood vessel breaks off,” he added. The patient was immediately moved to the operation theatre, after he vomited blood.

A graft, which was 8 inches long, was stitched along the ruptured blood vessel. A team of surgeons from the cardio thoracic surgical and vascular surgical team performed the surgery, which lasted more than six hours.

In a corporate hospital, the medical bill would be around Rs 3 lakh. “ More than 10 units of blood were transfused to the patient,” Dr Raja Venkatesh, HoD, cardio thoracic department, said noting that the patient’s life could not have been saved if he had not been admitted.

BP and cholesterol could also be a risk factor for such a complication, the doctor warned, adding, “but such a disorder could even occur without any risk factors involved and surgery is the only way to save the life.”

source: http://www.deccanchronicle.com / Deccan Chronicle / Home> News> Current Affairs / DC / May 16th, 2013