1 day ago
Rare combined heart procedure helps 77-year-old avoid blood thinners
Jagdip Shah’s heart sometimes beat in an irregular way called atrial fibrillation.
This can allow blood clots to form and cause a stroke.
Doctors gave him blood-thinning medicine, but it caused dangerous bleeding from stomach ulcers.
They needed to protect him from both clots and bleeding.
During one procedure, doctors placed a small plug to close a pouch where clots often form.
They also used short electrical pulses to stop faulty heart signals.
The procedure took about 90 minutes and did not require open-heart surgery.
Afterward, Shah was able to stop taking blood thinners and was found to have a normal heart rhythm at follow-up.
Jagdip Shah, 77, developed repeated atrial fibrillation after previously undergoing bypass surgery and heart failure.
Blood-thinning medicines caused severe stomach-ulcer bleeding, sometimes requiring transfusions, so doctors had to stop them.
On August 14, doctors at Lilavati Hospital performed left atrial appendage occlusion and pulsed field ablation in one catheter-based procedure.
The first procedure sealed the left atrial appendage, a common source of clots in people with atrial fibrillation.
The second used short, high-voltage electrical pulses to block abnormal signals around the pulmonary veins and treat the irregular rhythm.
- Who
- Jagdip Shah, 77, was treated by a team led by cardiologist and electrophysiologist Dr Dhiraj Gupta.
- What
- Doctors performed left atrial appendage occlusion and pulsed field ablation during the same catheter-based intervention.
- Where
- Lilavati Hospital and Research Centre in Mumbai.
- When
- The procedure took place on August 14; follow-up imaging was performed on August 27.
- Why
- Shah needed protection from stroke linked to atrial fibrillation but could not safely continue blood thinners because they caused severe bleeding.
Key facts
- Patient
- Jagdip Shah, 77, a resident of Juhu, Mumbai
- Heart condition
- Repeated episodes of atrial fibrillation
- Medication problem
- Blood thinners caused severe bleeding from stomach ulcers and sometimes required transfusions
- First procedure
- Left atrial appendage occlusion using a collapsible plug-like device
- Second procedure
- Pulsed field ablation using short, high-voltage electrical pulses
- Procedure duration
- About one-and-a-half hours
- Follow-up
- Imaging on August 27 showed the device was correctly positioned and Shah had a normal heart rhythm
- Medication outcome
- Shah was reported to be completely off blood-thinning medication
Quotes
Dr Dhiraj Gupta
Cardiologist and electrophysiologist who led Shah’s procedure
“Jagdip Shah presented a unique challenge with his age and multiple risk factors for stroke; episodes of bleeding made it difficult for him to remain on blood thinners for life. Our objective was to address both issues in a single procedure. During the procedure, we eliminated the primary source of clot formation and treated the abnormal heart rhythm.”
indianexpress.com
“For years my father lived with constant uncertainty. While he was taking the blood thinners, he faced a risk of serious bleeding, which affected his daily life and his confidence to live life freely. Simple activities became a source of everyday worry.”
indianexpress.com
Sources
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