- Patient undergoes successful mechanical thrombectomy of pulmonary artery
NE HEALTH BUREAU
VADODARA, DEC 15
Baroda Heart Institute & Research Centre on Thursday announced it had given a new lease of life to a young man using a unique intervention, said a team of senior doctors.
41-year-old male Mr. T P presented with progressive difficulty in breathing and it had reached a point in which he could not move even a few steps because of severe shortness of breath and fatigue and giddiness. Despite taking some medicines his condition didn’t improve. He and his family were extremely worried.
He was investigated by 2D ECHO & ECG, found to have markedly elevated right sided heart pressure and changes suggestive of pulmonary embolism. So he underwent CT Pulmonary angiography which was suggestive of large near occlusive blood clots in both right & Left pulmonary arteries. Any further increase in clots would have proved Fatal. In such situations the pressure in the lung rises, the heart starts failing, and as the blood flow to the lungs gets reduced due to occlusive clots the oxygen levels in the blood start falling to dangerous levels which become incompatible with life.
He was hospitalised in the ICCU at Baroda Heart Institute and treatment was started. He was initially given thrombolytic therapy (Clot dissolving medicine) for 24 hours. Despite that his condition did not improve much and right sided heart pressure did not reduce as expected. He was very critical requiring ventilators support.
The clots in the lungs needed to be removed urgently to save his life. Open heart surgery in such situations carries a very high risk.
The team of interventional cardiologists at Baroda Heart Institute Dr Parvindar Singh, Dr Mahesh Basarge, Dr Falgun Panchal, Dr Husain Bhatia, Dr Sagar Shah, Dr Sheshrao Pawar decided to undertake a high risk life saving intervention in the cath lab using a specialised device where special tubes are negotiated through the heart into the lung arteries and the clots are gradually sucked out of the main and the major branches of the pulmonary arteries.
Patient underwent successful mechanical thrombectomy of pulmonary artery. During the procedure itself as the clots were removed his condition stabilised, oxygen levels improved, blood pressure stabilised, and he could be taken off ventilator support. His condition improved and he was discharged after few days of successful therapy
Mechanical Thrombectomy is the new procedure which is used to remove obstructing blood clots, in certain cases of life threatening Pulmonary embolism.
Particularly, when the clot is large & not responding to medical therapy & having severe symptoms. It involves specialized device which introduce in the body from groin area to the pulmonary arteries so device can break out large clots into small clots and that can be easily removed from pulmonary artery by applying negative pressure (suction). This procedure is lifesaving, particularly when other treatment like medication are not effective & risk to life.
Baroda Heart Institute & Research Centre thrives to be a centre of excellence in cardiac care by using such newer technologies for the service of people of Gujarat.
