Dr Sushant Srivastava, Cardiac Surgeon in Delhi | Heart Surgeon, Bypass Surgery, Heart Valve Surgery, Varicose Veins Treatment in Delhi

1. 96-year-old undergoes open heart surgery

NEW DELHI, April 19, 2014

Defying age, 96-year-old J. C. Mehta, former director of Delhi Public Library, has successfully undergone an open heart surgery at the BLK Super Speciality Hospital (BLK SSH) here. “This successful medical intervention clocking over four hours will make him probably the oldest person in the country to have undergone open heart bypass surgery. Born in 1917, Mr. Mehta was actively working till 1978,” said Dr. Sushant Srivastava, senior consultant and director, Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, BLK Heart Centre, who conducted this surgery.

This Paschim Vihar resident was admitted at BLK SSH after he complained of severe chest pain and suffered major heart attack earlier last month. He was operated on March 25.

Announcing this successful operation on Friday, Dr. Srivastava said: “We found that the patient had blockage of the left main artery of the heart, which was a serious situation. The kind of blockage that he had in the arteries had put him at risk for a second heart attack which he was unlikely to survive. The treatment for this kind of blockage is open heart bypass surgery only, which at his age was considered as very risky.”

Stating that it was difficult for the family also to make up their mind on the surgery, but finally his four daughters agreed to opt for an open heart bypass surgery, hospital’s director of finance and strategy Naresh Kapoor said: “It is important to point out that the decision to operate on Mr. Mehta was taken after due deliberation.”

Mr. Mehta’s age, fragile tissue, diseased arteries and weak lungs added to the risk of operation. “With meticulous precision and latest technique, bypass was done on the beating heart. The first few post operative days in the ICU were tense. Very slowly the heart started pumping better and gradually life supporting systems were removed. After a couple of days he had recovered enough to sit in a chair and walk with support,” added Dr. Mradul Kaushik, director Operations and Planning, BLKSSH.

“Bypass surgery at this age is high risk and very rare. This case offers hope of having a second innings for people in their 80s and 90s with serious heart disease,” added Dr. Kaushik.

Keywords: J. C. Mehta, BLK Super Speciality Hospital, open heart surgery, Delhi Public Library former director

2. NEW DELHI: In a rare feat, doctors at a city hospital in New Delhi have performed a stitch-less valve replacement on a 54-year-old Fiji national.

Dr Sushant Srivastava, Senior Consultant and Director, Cardio Thoracic and Vascular Surgery at BLK Super Speciality Hospital who led a team of doctors in this surgery, informed that the patient had met him at OPD.

"He had been suffering from severe breathlessness and came with acute chest pain. Initial diagnosis revealed a diseased Aortic valve which had narrowed to the extent that the heart was having difficulty pumping blood through it and this placed considerable strain on his heart."

The doctors explained different options to the patient KS Narayanan. However, the patient was well informed and opted for this suture-less valve replacement surgery. On Monday, the operation was performed.

KS Narayanan is currently in ICU and recovering well, and will be allowed to travel back to his country in a week's time, informed doctors.

According to the doctors this is a technologically advanced valve and introduced in India for the first time.

"This animal valve does not require any stitch. Firstly, this is placed on the delivery device which is placed in the position of implant after the diseased valve has been cut out. Subsequently, the delivery device is unscrewed to fit the artificial valve to its required position," he explained.

This process of implantation takes only a minute reducing the overall operating time considerably.

"This is a highly suitable technique for high-risk patients and will go a long way in addressing their problems. In non-operative techniques or TAVI, the valve can be implanted without surgery but the diseased valve remains inside so the chances of stroke and paralysis and other complications was higher, which is taken care of in this new technique as the diseased valve is removed and the implantation done under vision. This leads to improved results," informed Dr Ajay Kaul, Chairman and HOD, CTVS at the hospital