ISLAMABAD: (APP) Pakistani doctors have successfully performed first implantation of the endovascular stent graft for deadly anatomical time bomb called abdominal aortic aneurysm.
The procedure, a first of its kind in the country was conducted by a team of Pakistani doctors led by Vascular and Endovascular Surgeon, Dr Syed Naseem Haider here at Quaid-e-Azam International Hospital Islamabad.
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Talking to media after the procedure, Dr. Naseem Haider said that the aortic aneurysm was occurred due to the weakening in the wall of body's largest blood vessels.
"If left untreated, the growing bubble can likely to burst without warning at any time, causing massive bleeding, followed by shock and almost certain death. These time bombs don't go away by themselves," he said.
Dr Naseem said conventional surgery to repair this aortic aneurysm was associated with lots of complications with five percent risk of death. He said this new less invasive surgery called Endovascular Aneurysm Repair (EVAR) has changed the management of these patients, he added.
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He added in this new technique, the repair was done with specially designed polyester hose which was loaded into a tiny sleeve and snaked to the aneurysm through a blood vessel in the leg.
He said surgeons inserted a catheter into the femoral arteries in the legs and used radiography to guide the hose tightly bound in a little bundle into the damaged area of the aorta. Once the hose was placed, they removed the sleeve, and the opened the sheath springs to hug the wall of aorta.
He added surgical hooks on the hose grabbed the wall and affixed the patch.
He said "Results were dramatically different from those of open surgery and in this procedure now patient can take solid food on same night of surgery and even go back to home within next two to three days.
Founder and CEO of Quaid-e-Azam International Hospital Dr Shaukat Ali Bangash congratulated Dr Naseem Haider and his team for performing a unique procedure.
He said that Quaid-e-Azam international hospital has become the pioneer institution for this kind of less invasive surgery. It can now offer this less invasive surgery for any kind of aortic pathology where possible.
He said the hospital has a team of qualified vascular and endovascular surgeons, cardiothoracic surgeons, cardiologists, trained radiologists, anesthetists and fully equipped theatres and vascular labs.