Doctors at the Metro Hospital and Heart Institute here have successfully performed angioplasty with stenting on a 104-year-old patient to save his life.
Giving details of the case, cardiologist and hospital chairman Purshottam Lal says: “The patient, Hari Singh, was born on January 15, 1909. He was admitted with severe chest pain and low blood pressure and suffered from heart failure and kidney dysfunction.”
The patient was medically stabilised and required dialysis because of very high creatinine level. He, however, continued to have chest discomfort and hemodynamic instability which necessitated urgent angiography, says Dr. Lal.
“The patient had earlier undergone angioplasty with stenting in 2001 and was doing well in Dehra Dun (where he stays). This time he underwent angiography on May 16 through his left arm to keep him comfortable. The angiography result showed that two of his three major arteries were blocked at origin. The only remaining major artery, LAD, showed calcified critical stenosis (90-95 per cent) at its origin. Because of his recurrent hemodynamic instability an urgent angioplasty with stent implantation was performed through the arm. The total procedure time was less than 10 minutes and a total of 15 cc dye was used to protect his kidneys,” he adds.
The patient is now doing well. “With the increasing experience, the age of the patient is no bar for such procedures. Saving life and improving its quality remains the prime duty of a doctor,” says Dr. Lal.
