A team of doctors from Medway Heart Institute, a tertiary cardiac centre at Medway Hospitals, a premier and integrated multi-specialty group of hospitals located in Kodambakkam, Chennai, performed an extremely challenging Aortic Dissection surgery on a 32-year-old man with kidney failure.
L-R: Dr. T. Palaniappan, CMD, Medway Hospitals; Dr. Anbarasu Mohanraj, Director and Clinical Lead, Cardio Vascular and Thoracic Surgeon, Medway Heart Institute; Rajkumar (Patient)
Patient history and line of treatment
The patient, Rajkumar hailing from Tiruvannamalai, with a history of Kidney failure and high blood pressure developed a severe pain in his chest and back. On immediate examination by local doctors, followed by ECHO and Scans, he was diagnosed with Aortic Dissection, a life-threatening medical condition associated with high morbidity and mortality. Given the grave condition, he was promptly referred to Medway Heart Institute in Chennai, for an emergency surgical intervention.
Speaking about the complicated surgery, Dr. Anbarasu Mohanraj, Director & Clinical Lead, Cardio Vascular & Thoracic Surgeon, Medway Heart Institute said, “Being on haemodialysis for a kidney failure and having two leaky heart valves further added to the complexity of Rajukumar’s Aortic Dissection Surgery, making it a huge surgical challenge. The complex and challenging surgery went on for six long hours, where his body had to be cooled to 18 degree centigrade, as the blood supply to most of his body had to be stopped to perform the surgery. After which we could repair both his valves and correct the Aortic Dissection. With both the Heart Valves Repaired now, (instead of Artificial Metal Valve Replacement), the patient need not take the Blood thinning medications, making a Kidney Transplant surgery for him in the future, easier and more manageable.”
Dr. T. Palaniappan, Chairman & Managing Director, Medway Hospitals in his appreciation said, “These kinds of complex cases are performed only at a few elite medical centers across the country, because it requires superior surgical skills and latest technologies. I am extremely delighted that Medway Heart Institute is one such specialized center with state-of-the-art infrastructure and team of experienced doctors and support staff, who meet the growing needs of such complex heart ailments. I congratulate Dr. Anbarasu Mohanraj and his team for safely and successfully performing this complex surgery, thus saving the life of the patient, Rajkumar and giving him a new lease of life. He is recovering well post the operation and is on his way to good health.”
About Aortic Dissection Medical Condition
An aortic dissection is a medical emergency which occurs due to a tear in the inner layer of the large blood vessel branching off the heart. Blood rushes through the tear, causing the inner and middle layers of the aorta to split. If not treated promptly, this condition can endanger life.
