Pune Man Survives Rare Fourth Open-Heart Surgery at Amrita Hospital, Faridabad
Faridabad: A Pune resident, has survived his fourth open-heart surgery an extraordinary procedure during which doctors kept his chest open for 24 hours to control life-threatening bleeding.
The complex surgery was performed on August 12 at Amrita Hospital, Faridabad, led by senior cardiac surgeon Dr Sameer Bhate. The operating team faced a cascade of complications, including a torn artery that required an emergency bypass mid-procedure.
The patient spent a marathon eleven hours in surgery, with seven on cardiopulmonary bypass.
“We encountered multiple challenges. Halfway through the procedure, we inadvertently tore one of his heart arteries. It had to be repaired immediately with a bypass,” said Dr Bhate. “So, we decided to keep his chest open and carefully packed for 24 hours before closing it the next day, a technique I learned from my father.
These are not routine steps, but sometimes such difficult choices are the only way to save a life.”
His ordeal with rheumatic heart disease spans more than 20 years, marked by repeated episodes of valve failure.
Both his aortic and mitral valves were first replaced in 2002, followed by tissue replacements in 2012, a mechanical mitral valve in 2022, and finally another mechanical aortic valve in 2024 after doctors in Pune said further interventions would be too dangerous.
“In Pune, I was told there was no hope that I would not survive another surgery. My family and I were devastated. Meeting Dr. Bhate changed everything. He was honest, he told me it would be very tough, but he also said he was ready to try.
That gave me courage. Today, I am alive, breathing, and slowly regaining strength because he kept that promise. I will never forget the risk he took for me, and I will carry this as my second life,” Mr. Zalke said.
Father and son, Dr Sudhir and Dr Sameer Bhate, together navigated this rare medical journey, culminating in Mr. Zalke's safe discharge and return to Pune after full recovery. The story stands testament to both medical innovation and the profound human resilience displayed in the face of impossible odds.
Khushi Chittoria joined Medical Dialogues in 2025 as a Media and Editorial Intern. She holds a Bachelor degree in Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from IP University and has completed certifications in content writing. She has a strong interest in anchoring, content writing, and editing. At Medical Dialogues, Khushi manages the editorial department, web stories and anchoring.