Hyderabad: Remarkable recovery of patient after post-surgery complications

Hyderabad: A 43-year-old Indian-origin man and a resident of Australia, Bhaskar Ponuganti, recently experienced a remarkable recovery at CARE Hospitals, Banjara Hills after suffering from severe shortness of breath and being diagnosed with a life-threatening cardiac condition.

Upon arrival, the patient, who had always been in good health with no prior medical issues, was found to be suffering from Infective Endocarditis involving the aortic valve. This serious infection led to rapid deterioration, including kidney failure and a subsequent brain stroke causing left-sided paralysis. Despite these severe complications and the patient being placed on a ventilator, the medical team led by Dr. Surya Prakasa Rao V, clinical director and head of Cardiology decided that an urgent surgical replacement of the aortic valve was his only chance of survival, albeit with significant risks.

The cardiac surgery team headed by Dr Nagesh, senior cardiothoracic & heart transplant surgeon, successfully performed the aortic valve replacement using a mechanical valve. While the patient showed initial signs of stabilisation post-surgery, he suffered another brain stroke on the second postoperative day, further complicating his recovery and leading to a somber outlook from the medical staff.

Given the complexity of his condition, the patient was moved to the Medical ICU and placed under the vigilant care of the critical care team led by Dr G Bhavani Prasad, associate clinical director and head of Critical Care, that ensured assistance as required by neurologist, nephrologist, intensivist, and cardiac surgeon. His treatment plan was intensive and multifaceted, involving continuous dialysis, ventilator support via a tracheostomy, and rigorous physiotherapy.

“Despite the grim prognosis, the patient began to show signs of improvement after about 15 days, much to the astonishment and delight of his medical team and family. He started making eye contact, a critical milestone that signalled the beginning of his recovery. Over the following two months, the patient continued to make remarkable progress, eventually achieving a full recovery,” said Dr Ajit Singh, medical superintendent, CARE Hospitals, Banjara Hills.