A minimally invasive endovascular repair at Meenakshi Super Speciality Hospital saved the life of a 70-year-old man diagnosed with an abdominal aortic aneurysm, a dangerous bulge in the main blood vessel of the abdomen that could have burst at any moment, leading to death.
Dr Sivakumar, Head of Department, Institute of Cardiac Sciences, and Dr Prabhu Kumarappan Chidambaram, Vascular Surgeon, performed the procedure, known as percutaneous Endovascular Aortic Aneurysm Repair (EVAR) with the support of Dr.S.Kumar, HOD, Cardiac Anesthesiology cardiac anaesthesia and his team at the hospital’s state-of-the-art cathlab. The procedure involved the insertion of a stent graft through access in the patient’s groin, guided by fluoroscopic imaging.
This advanced EVAR technique offered a significant advantage over traditional open surgery, eliminating the need for large incisions and general anesthesia. During the procedure, the patient was under local anesthesia, remaining fully conscious. The medical team used specialised closure devices at the groin entry points - there was no need for sutures. The entire approach contributed to reduced post-operative discomfort for the patient and accelerated recovery. The senior citizen was discharged within three days of the surgery. He has since completed a three-month follow-up, demonstrating the effectiveness of the intervention.
Dr. Ganesan, Senior Consultant, Institute of Cardiac Sciences, Dr. Sampath Kumar, Senior Consultant, Dr. Selvamani, senior consultant, Dr.Jeyapandian, Senior consultant, Institute of Cardiac Sciences, also present during the press meet. Dr. Thomas Xavier, Associate consultant and Mr. Dileep from the hospital were also present.
In his comments, Dr. Sivakumar, Head of Department, Institute of Cardiac Sciences said, “The patient came to us with severe abdominal pain. He hadn't been able to eat for a month. We diagnosed that he had an aneurysm, a dangerous bulge, in his abdominal aorta. Think of it like a weak spot in a tire, where it balloons out. In his case, the bulge was quite large, measuring 7.2 centimeters. The bulge affected his iliac arteries, which are the branches that lead down to the pelvis and legs. This posed a serious risk of the aorta rupturing, which could be fatal in minutes. Considering his age, we chose the non-surgical EVAR procedure, which allowed for a precise and effective repair of the aorta.”
On the benefits of the surgical technique, Dr. Prabhu Kumarappan Chidambaram,Vascular Surgeon said that the advanced endovascular approach allowed for a precise and effective repair, significantly reducing the patient's recovery period. “While the standard EVAR procedure usually involves spinal or general anesthesia and surgical incisions in the groin to insert the stent graft, we employed an advanced, percutaneous minimally invasive method here. Instead of those incisions, we accessed the arteries through the skin, via small punctures in the groin area. We then guided the stent graft to the aneurysm in the aorta and iliac arteries using X-ray imaging. The punctures were closed with special devices. Importantly, the patient was fully awake throughout the procedure, under local anesthesia. This successful case highlights how effective these advanced endovascular techniques are for treating complex vascular problems, providing a less invasive option for patients and leading to faster recovery times.”
The patient was able to walk the day after the procedure and was discharged within three days. A subsequent three-month follow-up confirmed the positive health outcomes. This successful intervention underscores the efficacy of minimally invasive techniques in treating complex vascular conditions, offering patients a less invasive alternative to traditional surgical procedures and significantly reducing recovery time.