Doctors of Hero Heart saved a lost life

Ludhiana, May 19, 2014: A 24- years old patient, resident of Phagwara, was recently referred to Hero DMC Heart Institute in critical condition after getting severely injured in a serious car accident. On examining the patient in emergency, the doctors found that his aorta (the main trunk through which the heart pumps blood into the arteries) has been ruptured. The patient was found to have type -B Aortic dissection & was taken for Thoracic Endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) procedure by Dr.Bishav Mohan (Cardiologist) & Dr. Sarju Ralhan. (Cardiothoracic Surgeon).
TEVAR procedure is a very sophisticated procedure requiring expert skills in which a small incision is made in groin region & endovascular device is deployed in ruptured segment of aorta. Surgery was successful & life of patient was saved. Talking on TEVAR procedure, Dr Sarju said it is an alternative for open aortic surgery as it avoid major cuts, require fewer blood transfusions, fewer intensive care stay and lesser number of both major and minor complications.
According to treating doctors-Dr Bishav Mohan (Cardiologist) & Dr Sarju Ralhan (Cardiothoracic Surgeon), such victims of road accident cases die before reaching the hospital and about 25 percent that do reach the hospital do not survive surgery.
In medical terms, this type of condition is called ‘Traumatic Aortic Disruption(TAD)’ and is a common cause of death in automobile collisions and other accidents. Though such incidences of TAD are as common and serious as well it is, however, surprisingly difficult for doctors or emergency medical staff to detect such trauma.
Aortic dissection is rare and its symptoms can look like a heart attack, said Dr Bishav Mohan. It is estimated that in most of the road accidents, steering wheel of car hit the chest, which results in blunt trauma. Such cases of accident victims contribute to 30 percent in-hospital death rate and 25 percent risk of death during surgery.