64-year-old man gets new lease of life

CHENNAI: A 64-year-old man diagnosed with a rare case of double aneurysms in the aorta with imminent rupture was treated successfully using endovascular stent grafting, at Apollo Hospitals, Chennai. The patient was initially diagnosed with two large saccular aneurysms of upper thoracic aorta and abdominal aorta.A team of doctors led by Dr Y Vijayachandra Reddy, interventional cardiologist and endovascular specialist, performed this complicated intervention. He said that the endovascular aneurysm repair was considered highly risky as the upper aneurysm was close to the blood vessels carrying blood to the brain and the lower aneurysm was close to the kidney blood vessels. Explaining the procedural challenges, Dr Reddy said, “A team approach involving endovascular specialists, cardiac surgeons, vascular surgeons and anaesthetists allows even the most complex cases to be treated successfully.”  Aneurysms often affect the aorta, the body’s largest artery. The aorta carries blood away from the heart and it runs from the heart through chest and abdomen. Aneurysms are expansions of the normal arteries due to weakening of the wall of the aorta, associated usually with uncontrolled high blood pressure. Aneurysm associated with rupture is catastrophic and fatal. An endovascular stent graft is a synthetic fabric tube supported by a metal structure. It helps to bypass the area of the aorta weakened by the aneurysm to keep it from rupturing. The stent graft is placed inside of the aorta, without surgically opening the blood vessel or removing any tissueDr Reddy also stressed the importance of diagnosing such diseases at the initial stage by screening tests like ultrasound and CT scans. “Though these diseases were considered very rare in India, they are being diagnosed more frequently of late, allowing early life-saving treatment,” he added.