Senior Citizen Undergoes Complex Heart Surgeries

A 68-year-old woman weighing just 35 kg underwent a 'high risk aortic valve replacement and bypass surgery in a rare and challenging case, at the Asian Heart Institute recently, a senior doctor said.

The patient, Asha Phatak, who weighed around 60 kg around a year back, dropped steeply to 35 kg owing to her precarious heart condition, making her an "extremely dangerous case", said renowned heart surgeon and AHI Vice-Chairman Ramakanta Panda.

Road Map to Help Women With Congenital Heart Disease Have Successful Pregnancies
For generations, doctors told women who were born with complex congenital heart defects that they should not have babies.

‘Asha Phatak, who weighed around 60 kg around a year back, dropped steeply to 35 kg owing to her precarious heart condition, making her an "extremely dangerous case.’

Tweet it Now

A diagnosis by Panda revealed that Phatak's heart pumping was very weak, barely 20-25 percent of normal; she had two major blockages in the heart, and narrowing of a heart valve.

"She needed to undergo both, a bypass surgery and an aortic valve replacement, but she was very fragile at the time of the surgery," Panda, who has earlier performed surgery on former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, explained.

A recovered Phatak recounted how initially the famous surgeon flatly refused to take up her case, but when she expressed willingness to undergo the surgery, despite a 90 per cent risk, Panda relented.

Heart-Healthy Habits Can Save Medicare Costs
More than $41 billion a year in Medicare costs can be saved by reducing the risk of cardio-vascular diseases and following the seven heart-healthy habits.

"It was her strong willpower which revived her weak heart. It was one of the most complex and challenging cases I have handled. She's my bravest patient!" Panda said lauding Phatak.

In the marathon 10-hour surgery, the team of medicos led by Panda performed part of her bypass which included two grafts, LAD and Ramus Intermedius with the 'beating heart technique' and the rest with the help of a heart-lung machine.

No Improvement in Heart Failure Survival Rates in Twenty Years
Heart failure is a common long-term condition affecting around nine lakh in the Britain and represents the second highest cost to the National Health Service.

After the bypass, Phatak's heart was stopped to replace the narrowed valve with a new one, giving the patient a fresh lease of life.

On November 23, Phatak was rushed from her Mahim home to the AHI in Bandra in a critical condition with a congestive heart failure as it could not pump sufficient blood and oxygen to the body, besides fluid flooding her lungs coupled with low blood pressure.

Low Levels of Bad Cholesterol tolerated in Heart Disease Patients
Some patients need to reduce their LDL cholesterol than what they are able to achieve with a maximally tolerated statin or other lipid-lowering therapies.

She was kept in the ICU for 19 days and after the surgery on December 12, was kept on ventilator, remaining a total of two months in the ICU till her discharge on January 23.

Panda said Phatak's positive attitude towards life, courage and willpower contributed to her speedy recovery since the medicos had apprehended she would not be able to tolerate the stress of the surgery and succumb on the operation table itself.

Nearly three weeks after discharge, the retired bank manager is convalescing well at her home in Mahim with her daughter and two grandchildren, and has gained two kg weight now!

Source-IANS