A multidisciplinary team of doctors at Mediclinic Airport Road Hospital recently treated a 55 year old woman suffering from severe dual blockages in her major neck and heart arteries. She presented to the hospital with complaints of dizziness and other neurological symptoms.
Investigations unveiled that not only was 90% of her carotid artery blocked, which supplies blood to half of the brain, but that 90% of the left anterior descending artery which supplies blood to half of the heart was also 90% blocked. Such blockages may lead to heart attack and stroke if left untreated.
Given that two major arteries were blocked simultaneously and the high risk situation, a number of meetings were held involving a multidisciplinary team comprising a vascular surgeon, cardiologist and a neurologist who together reviewed and mapped out an interventional treatment plan tailored to this rare case.
The procedure was performed by Dr. Ammar Kutaiman, Consultant Vascular Surgeon and Dr. Mohammed Andron, Consultant Interventional Cardiologist using a minimally invasive technique.
“I started off with the carotid angioplasty and stenting while the patient was under local anesthesia. A guided catheter was inserted into the proximal part of the diseased artery and a filter was placed in the distal part of the stenosis to prevent stroke. We then inflated a small balloon and used stents to decrease the chances of it narrowing again. Finally, an x-ray procedure called angiogram was performed, and revealed that the blockage has been successfully treated” said Dr. Kutaiman.
Dr. Andron who treated the blockage in the heart artery said: “Following the opening of the blockage in the neck, a percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and stent placement to widen the blockage was successfully performed to treat the blocked artery in the heart and the patient was discharged from the hospital 48 hours later with no complications.”
“The occurrence of two major blockages in the heart and neck simultaneously is rare, and treating this condition using a combined interventional procedure can be challenging given the risk of stroke and heart attack. By leveraging the expertise of a multidisciplinary team we were able to reduce the risks involved, ensure patient safety and achieve the best possible outcomes,” concluded Dr. Andron.