25-yr-old African woman battling severely leaking and narrowed heart valves treated

Bengaluru: Fortis Hospital Bannerghatta Road successfully treated a 25-year-old African woman who had been suffering from complex and severe rheumatic heart disease of two of her heart valves for nearly 15 years. The patient, faced a life-threatening condition involving severe aortic leakage causing grave, long term stretching and weakening of her heart muscles and significant mitral stenosis (narrowing of the mitral valve, making it harder for blood to empty the lungs in to heart leading to damaged lungs), underwent a high mortality risk (in view of a grossly weakened heart muscles) double valve replacement surgery.

The procedure was performed by a multidisciplinary team of doctors led by Dr Vivek Jawali, Chairman – Cardiac sciences, Fortis Hospitals, Bengaluru. This intricate procedure involved replacing two of the heart’s four valves simultaneously, the surgery lasted for 3 and half hours and the woman was discharged within a month in a stable condition.

For 15 years, Patient Salma (name changed) had been battling debilitating heart conditions, including aortic regurgitation and mitral stenosis. Her health was further complicated by persistent infections, leg wounds, and multiple miscarriages, all of which were worsened by the consumption of blood thinners and medications to treat her heart condition. Despite seeking treatment from numerous hospitals worldwide, where she was repeatedly turned away due to the high risks associated with her condition and limited chance of complete recovery Her optimism was renewed when she discovered a potential solution at Fortis Hospital, Bannerghatta Road.

Upon her admission at Fortis Bannerghatta Road, a detailed medical evaluation was conducted, confirming the severity and complexity of her heart condition. Dr. Vivek Jawali and his team diagnosed the need for a high-risk double valve replacement surgery. The procedure involved replacing both the aortic valve, which controls blood flow from the heart to the body, along with the mitral valve, which regulates blood flow between the heart’s upper and lower chambers. Additional medical interventions were recommended to optimize her heart function and manage her complex health issues.

Giving details of the case, Chairman-Cardiac sciences, Fortis Hospital, Bangalore, Dr. Vivek Jawali said, “Salma’s treatment was challenging due to the damage caused to her heart valves, which significantly impacted her heart’s ability to function properly. In addition to this, she also experienced irregular heartbeats, complicating her condition further. We replaced her aortic valve and mitral valve and made her left atrium (one of the heart’s two upper chambers) smaller, sealed a part of her heart to prevent blood clots, and performed a procedure called E-Maze to correct her irregular heartbeats. The E-Maze procedure helps to restore a normal heartbeat by creating small scars in the heart tissue to prevent abnormal electrical signals.”

“After the surgery, Salma had low blood pressure and needed extra support from special devices. She also had kidney ailments that needed dialysis and kidney infections that were treated with antibiotics. To further aid her recovery, we used ECMO - extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.

ECMO took over the functions of her heart and lungs, helping her stabilize and recover from severe complications. Despite these challenges, Salma’s condition improved, and she is now stable and recovering well,” Dr Jawali added.