Jaipur doctors perform non-surgical closure of atrial appendage in elderly lady

Jaipur (Rajasthan) [India], July 8 (ANI): Doctors at a Jaipur hospital recently performed a successful non-surgical closure of the left atrial appendage (LAA) in a 70-year-old elderly lady diagnosed to have atrial fibrillation.
The surgery was performed by a team of doctors at Fortis Escorts Hospital, Jaipur. The case of the 70-year-old woman was the second such case to be reported in Jaipur in the last five years.
It was successfully handled by a team of doctors led by Dr Sanjeeb Roy, Director, Cardiology, Fortis Escorts Hospital Jaipur, who medically evaluated the case, drew out the treatment plan, and performed the intensive surgical procedure.
On presentation, the patient had a very high heart rate, 175 beats per minute (as opposed to the normal 60 to 100 beats a minute) experiencing palpitations, shortness of breath, and chest pain.
With such a high atrial rate, a condition known as atrial fibrillation, there is a risk for the formation of a clot, which when dislodges can cause paralysis. To prevent such an event to happen, blood thinners are given.
However, in some cases, like this elderly lady, who had bleeding events on medications, such medicines cannot be given safely for long. They then become more at threat to have a stroke.
In these circumstances, if there is no additional involvement of the valve, a small finger-like pocket in the left heart - called "left atrial appendage" - the site prone to develop a clot, is isolated by deploying a wire-mesh-like device.
Dr Sanjeeb Roy, Director, Cardiac Sciences, Fortis Escorts Jaipur, spoke about the case and the procedure the team followed.
He said, "To implant the device (LAA closure device), we followed standard procedure. Through made a small cut in the upper leg, a narrow tube inserted and positioned into the LAA. The device is then guided and released in LAA. Usually, after the procedure, heart tissue grows over the implant, forming a barrier and prevent blood clots formation."
He added, "This non-surgical procedure is preferred over open-heart surgery. After an overnight hospital stay, a smooth and uneventful postoperative period, she was discharged the next morning. This procedure becomes an additional armamentarium for cardiologist and neuro physicians to be used for prevention of stroke in atrial fibrillation who cannot tolerate long term blood thinners."
Mr Neerav Bansal, Zonal Director, Fortis Escorts Hospital, Jaipur also commented on the case and said, "Fortis Escorts Jaipur approaches every case in a manner that is beneficial for the patient. Our doctors remain committed to treating every patient despite complications."
He added, "This case was no exception, and our doctors gave in their best and successfully performed the procedure. I congratulate the team of doctors for their commitment to world-class patient care and treatment." (ANI)