Shija removes life-threatening blood clot from lung of octogenarian
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, December 28 2021:
Shija Hospital and Research Institute (SHRI) successfully removed a life-threatening blood clot from the lung of an octogenarian.
According to a press release issued by SHRI deputy manager-business development Takhellambam Premkumar, on November 7 one 87-year old man was rushed into SHRI Emergency Department with severe pain and swelling over both lower limbs.
He had severe difficulty in breathing as well.
Earlier he had undergone hip surgery at another hospital in the city.
Due to severe difficulty in breathing, he was referred to SHRI.
The Emergency team at SHRI went about to rapidly investigate and arrive at a diagnosis.
Apart from routine investigation, CT Pulmonary angiography, D-Dimer, Doppler were done which revealed that a life-threatening blood clot was lodged in the very vital artery of the lung (Pulmonary Embolism).
Due to blocked blood supply and lack of oxygen, a large part of the lung had started to die (Lung Infarct).
To understand the origin of such a life-threatening blood clot, Doppler studies of the blood vessels in the legs were done.
It was found that deep veins of both legs had developed extremely dangerous blood clots (DVT - Deep Vein Thrombosis) which commonly happens in limbs that are immobilised for a long period.
Sometimes, a part of these blood clots detach in the limbs and flow in the blood to be caught in smaller blood vessels of the lungs or the brain (Clot Embolism), it said.
After detecting the clot in the lung which if not treated patient would die consultant neurovascular and interventional radiologist at SHRI Dr Gautam Thangjam shifted the patient urgently to the high-end Cath-Lab.
Under real-time X-ray guidance (Fluoroscopy) and through a needle puncture in one of the thigh veins, he manoeuvred a long thin instrument (Penumbra) up to the blood clot in the lung and withdrew the large blood clot and subsequently opened the blocked artery.
The blood flow was immediately restored completely within the lung.
This saved the patient from further lung damage and possible heart failure and death.
He also removed the blood clots in both legs through pinhole surgery and placed an IVC filter to prevent further clot migration.
The treating team was extremely happy that they could save the patient using rare high-tech facilities and expertise at Shija Hospitals which are available only in very few select hospitals in India, it said.
The release further informed that management at SHRI is proud of Dr Gautam Thangjam who is a super-specialist in Neurovascular and Interventional Radiology.
He is credited to have performed this extremely critical surgery of Pulmonary Embolectomy and Thrombolysis for the first time in 2017 and since then he has saved six such patients in Manipur.
The patient and family profusely thanked each and everyone in the successful treatment and blessed the team, it added.