A complex surgery was performed at Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital recently.
According to a press release, a 30-year-old woman from Ambattur, had come in complaining of vomiting and chest pain. She was admitted to the coronary care unit. Doctors found that the woman had an acute aortic valve leak and she was immediately referred to the cardiothoracic department. From there, due to the life-threatening nature of her condition, she was rushed to the operation theatre. The condition has a 90 to 100 per cent mortality rate.
Her damaged heart valve and aorta were replaced with an artificial heart valve and aorta (a Dacron graft), the press release said. The surgery was carried out with a heart-lung machine, and the patient’s heart beat was stopped for 323 minutes. The surgery lasted 15 hours.
The patient has now completely recovered. The release said the surgery, if done at a private hospital, could have cost up to Rs. 10 lakh. It was performed free of cost under the Chief Minister’s Comprehensive Health Insurance Scheme.
