Doctors save patient from life-threatening aortic leak

Mangaluru: The doctors at KMC Hospital saved the life of a 65-year-man who was battling a critically rare and fatal abdominal aortic dissection with an aneurysm leak. What seemed like a stomach issue turned out to be something much more dangerous, a life-threatening leak in his main blood vessel, the aorta. This ground-breaking procedure was led by Dr MN Bhat, senior interventional cardiologist, alongside Dr Keerthiraj, interventional neuro-radiologist; Dr Madhav Kamath, cardiothoracic & vascular surgeon; Dr Ashok Bhat, nephrologist; Dr Sathyanarayan, senior laparoscopic surgeon and Dr Sunil, anaesthetist.
On the morning of April 15, the patient was rushed into the emergency room with severe stomach pain and uncontrollable vomiting. Dr MN Bhat immediately requested an emergency abdominal ultrasound and CT scan, which revealed an abdominal aortic dissection with an aneurysm actively leaking blood into the pelvis. The situation rapidly worsened as the patient's blood pressure plummeted, leading to acute kidney failure and paralytic ileus. Abdominal aortic leaks of this nature are among the most fatal emergencies in medicine, with a near 100% mortality rate if not treated immediately. Survival often depends on minutes, making rapid intervention critical.
Dr MN Bhat said, "A leaking aortic aneurysm is a rapidly fatal condition with very little time to act. Recognising the urgency, we identified that a special large-sized stent graft was required to seal the leak, something not available at short notice in most cities."
Dr Keerthiraj said, "This case was extremely challenging due to the critical instability of the patient. Precision, speed, and teamwork were crucial. Endovascular techniques have revolutionised the management of such life-threatening vascular emergencies."
The multidisciplinary team was quickly mobilised, and an emergency endovascular stenting procedure was performed overnight, lasting over four hours. The leak was successfully sealed, and the aneurysm was secured with the stent grafts. Over the following days, with intensive supportive care, the patient gradually stabilised and was eventually discharged in good health.