KIMSHEALTH Trivandrum Performs High-Risk Pulmonary Thromboendarterectomy to Restore Patient’s Breathing

Thiruvananthapuram: A 49-year-old woman from Tamil Nadu has made a successful recovery following a surgical procedure performed at KIMSHEALTH Trivandrum Performs a high-risk pulmonary thromboendarterectomy to restore the patient’s breathing. The patient was treated for chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH), a rare and potentially life-threatening condition caused by blood clots obstructing the arteries that carry blood from the heart to the lungs.

The woman, who had been receiving treatment for deep vein thrombosis (DVT), arrived at the hospital with severe breathlessness and swelling in her legs. Although a coronary angiogram showed no blockages in the heart, her oxygen saturation levels had dropped to a critically low 80%, compared to the normal range of 95–100%. Further imaging through CT pulmonary angiography revealed significant clot formations in both pulmonary arteries.

Given the urgency of the situation, doctors decided to perform a pulmonary thromboendarterectomy, a complex surgical procedure used to remove blood clots from the lungs and restore normal blood flow. The operation was carried out using a heart-lung machine, and the patient’s body temperature was lowered to 18°C to facilitate safe periods of circulatory arrest. Over the course of eight hours, clots were successfully removed from both the left and right pulmonary arteries, with blood flow paused and resumed every 30 minutes.

Post-surgery, the patient was closely monitored in the intensive care unit (ICU). She was gradually taken off the heart-lung machine and ventilator, and by the end of the first week, was breathing independently without oxygen support. Her oxygen levels had returned to 95%, and she was discharged in a stable condition.

Dr. Shaji Palangadan, Senior Consultant in the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, who led the procedure, emphasized the complexity of the case and the coordinated effort required. “Timely diagnosis and a skilled multidisciplinary team were crucial in managing this condition,” he stated.

The procedure was supported by a dedicated team of specialists, including Dr. Ramesh Natarajan (Senior Consultant, Cardiology), Dr. Bhuvanesh M (Consultant, Rheumatology & Clinical Immunology), Dr. Rohith S. (Senior Consultant, Respiratory Medicine), Dr. Zaynah Zainuddin (Associate Consultant, Cardiothoracic Surgery), and anesthesiologists Dr. Subash S. and Dr. Swapna Sasidharan.