When his heart almost stopped

IT executive Siddhartha Dehury, 29, from Orissa, developed high BP a year ago, but did nothing about it. It caused his aorta, the largest artery that takes oxygenated blood from the heart to all body parts, to rip apart internally, blocking blood flow in the right half of the artery.

IT executive Siddhartha Dehury, 29, from Orissa, developed high BP a year ago, but did nothing about it. It caused his aorta, the largest artery that takes oxygenated blood from the heart to all body parts, to rip apart internally, blocking blood flow in the right half of the artery.

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Aortic dissection is a life-threatening condition, which is why doctors treating Dehury in Bhubaneshwar sent him to New Delhi’s Escorts Heart Institute and Research Centre overnight, in an air ambulance.

The aortic damage caused severe reduction of blood supply to various vital organs, especially on the right side.

“All his tests were abnormal when he was brought to us. He could have died of multiple organ failure,” said Dr Ashok Seth, chief cardiologist at Escorts, who headed the team that conducted the surgery.

It took two interventions to fix the problem. On Jan 19, a life-saving procedure was done to restore blood supply to the right side of his body.

But, within 24 hours, doctors realised it needed correction. “Post surgery, even a 30 yard walk caused him pain. We had to think of a permanent solution,” said Dr Seth.

On January 24, doctors went for a complicated procedure called Fenestration. “As the torn portion can’t be repaired surgically, we placed an eight-cm-long stent, connecting the false channel to the true channel,” said Dr Seth.

“It restored blood supply, his pulse was normal and movement is back in his leg. He can now lead a normal life, as long as he doesn’t exert much,” he added.

According to Dehury, the cost of the two surgical procedures came to Rs 2.5 lakh.