Doctors at Fortis Memorial Research Institute (FMRI), Gurugram, have successfully performed a complex and rare hybrid cardiac procedure to save the life of a 29-year-old man suffering from a ruptured thoracic abdominal aorta—one of the most life-threatening vascular emergencies.
The patient, a resident of Bihar, arrived at the Delhi NCR hospital in a critical state with severe internal bleeding and rapidly deteriorating heart function. He was later diagnosed with a massively dilated and ruptured thoracic abdominal aorta, the main artery responsible for supplying blood from the heart to vital organs—a condition known to carry extremely high mortality rates.
According to the hospital, the patient’s condition had earlier been misinterpreted at multiple hospitals in Bihar as fluid accumulation in the chest. A chest tube was inserted, which worsened the internal bleeding and led to further complications. Over the following months, his health declined significantly, with cardiac function dropping to nearly 15 per cent, leaving him largely bedridden due to the constant risk of sudden fatal bleeding.
Given the extreme complexity of the case, surgery was declined by several medical centres in Bihar, Kolkata, and Bengaluru. He was eventually referred to Fortis Gurugram as a last resort.
A comprehensive evaluation at FMRI revealed extensive clot formation within the aorta, severely restricting blood flow to essential organs including the kidneys, liver, and intestines. Conventional open surgery was ruled out due to the high likelihood of paralysis, multi-organ failure, and death.
Explaining the approach, Dr Udgeath Dhir, Principal Director, Cardio Thoracic Vascular Surgery at the institute, said,
“Given the complexity of his condition, we adopted an advanced hybrid surgical approach, combining open bypass surgery with minimally invasive endovascular repair.”
The procedure involved performing an open bypass to maintain circulation, along with endovascular stent grafting to seal the ruptured section of the aorta and restore blood flow to critical organs.
“Thoracic abdominal aorta is the largest artery in the body carrying blood from the heart to vital organs,” the hospital stated.
Despite an estimated mortality risk of nearly 50 per cent, the patient responded well to the treatment and was discharged within six days of surgery.
The hospital further stated that the patient is currently stable and undergoing medical management for low heart function, with plans for an additional cardiac procedure once he has fully recovered.
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