A 71-year patient, weighing only 32 kg and diagnosed with type 2 respiratory failure, successfully underwent a complicated open heart surgery at a Mumbai hospital recently. The surgery was a rare one and involved calculated risk as the patient, Sugandha Jadhav, was grossly underweight and had a history of bronchial asthma and tuberculosis (TB).
Speaking to ABP Live, Dr Gulshan Rohra, cardiothoracic surgeon at Wockhardt Hospital who conducted the surgery, said the risk to the patient's life was 20 per cent and there was a 67 per cent probability of her going into prolonged ventilation.
"The biggest challenge was to plan open heart surgery meticulously with pulmonary rehabilitation and making sure the family understands the risks associated with the procedure," Dr Rohra said.
Jadhav was admitted to the hospital in a very delicate condition. Her echocardiogram suggested severe aortic stenosis and severe left ventricular dysfunction.
In simple terms, severe aortic stenosis prevents our aortic valve leaflets from opening and closing properly. This makes our heart work harder to pump blood to the rest of your body. It can lead to difficulty in breathing, dizziness, and sudden cardiac death.
For this condition, according to doctors, there are only two available treatment options for patients — open heart surgery or Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI). Considering her age and other comorbidities, Jadhav was advised TAVI, which is an advanced procedure in which a narrowed valve is replaced without the need for surgery.
However, the patient opted for open heart surgery.
Biggest Challenge Was To Replace The Diseased Valve: Doctor
Dr Rohra said he and his team did meticulous planning for two weeks before taking her for open heart surgery.
"I was calm and confident in the preparation we did for the surgery. As soon as the procedure was over, I was happy but concerned as well knowing the next hurdle would be to get the patient off ventilation, which we were able to do in the next 48 hours," he told ABP Live.
The doctor said during surgery, the biggest challenge was to replace the diseased valve with a new one considering her low weight and difficult valve anatomy.
"Over the next few days, we helped her with pulmonary and physical rehabilitation. She is in follow-up and doing well," Dr Rohra further said.
The 71-year-old said she was now normal and leading a wonderful life with her children. "I was admitted to the hospital in a very delicate condition. I was put on immediate medication and we were given time to think over the procedure involved. My faith in the doctors and my zest to live longer for my children made me overcome fear," Jadhav said after the surgery.