NE HEALTH BUREAU
AHMEDABAD, JUNE 12
Age is just a number, proved a nonagenarian Ahmedabad resident who is back home after beating both a heart attack and COVID-19 at CIMS hospital.
Sushilaben, 91, a resident of, Ahmedabad, was admitted to a private hospital for emergency treatment on May 29 after suffering a heart attack and severe shortness of breath. She was also found to have flash pulmonary edema, a condition caused by excess fluid in the lungs as well as early covid ARDS. She was shifted to CIMS hospital the next day after she tested positive for COVID-19.
“She had unstable blood pressure and high oxygen requirement when she was brought to CIMS hospital. We had to perform angiography and angioplasty while simultaneously treating her for COVID-19,” said Dr Bhagyesh Shah, Critical Care Physician and In-charge of Adult ICU at CIMS.
Sushilaben’s angioplasty and stent placement was successfully performed on June 1, two days after her hospitalization, by Senior Cardiologists Dr Keyur Parikh & Dr Vineet Sankhla with ongoing COVID care despite the risk of age, covid and heart attack.
Her blood pressure and other parameters returned to normal post procedure, and she was discharged on June 7 following a complete recovery.
“Patients undergoing angioplasty with stent placement in the 90s is rare, and especially one who is also COVID +ve. In most cases, patients are not very mobile and are not in a position to undergo angioplasty. In many cases, families are against opting for surgery. However, Sushilaben is still very active at this age and has strong willpower. Her positive approach played an important role in her recovery,” said Dr Shah.
Her daughter in-law Dr Meena Shah, a health and life coach at Namaste Life Healthcare Foundation, said Sushilaben’s recovery at this age was nothing less than a miracle.
“We are happy and thankful that she has recovered and is back home. She is in good spirits and is having her favourite meal of aamras, roti, and chutti dal in her own room,” Dr Meena Shah said.