72-Year-Old Woman Recovers After Critical Carotid Artery Surgery

Greater Noida: ShardaCare Healthcity, a leading tertiary-care centre in Greater Noida, successfully treated a 72-year-old woman who presented with a rare and potentially fatal complication of a long-standing left carotid artery aneurysm. The patient arrived in the Emergency Department with pus and blood oozing from the aneurysm site, signalling an infected aneurysm at high risk of catastrophic rupture.

The condition was exceptionally complex: the aneurysm had been known for nearly three decades, and the sudden infection and bleeding placed the patient in immediate danger.

Before definitive management could be planned, the medical team initiated emergency stabilisation, controlling active bleeding with compression and shifting her to the Intensive Care Unit for close monitoring.

A CT angiography confirmed an infected carotid aneurysm. The Interventional Radiology team performed an urgent endovascular procedure where carotid artery coiling was attempted to stop the bleeding.

When the coiling failed to seal the vessel effectively, the team deployed an intravascular plug, successfully preventing further blood loss and stabilising the patient. Once stable, the patient underwent a staged surgical reconstruction.

The complex vascular surgery was led by Dr Akhil Kumar Rustagi, Senior Director & HOD – Cardiac Sciences, ShardaCare Healthcity, in collaboration with Dr. Rohit Punga (Facio-Maxillary Surgeon). Together, they performed aneurysmorrhaphy, meticulously removing the infected thrombus and securing hemostasis. The high-risk procedure required careful coordination between vascular surgery and facio-maxillary surgical expertise, given the delicate location of the aneurysm and the patient’s advanced age.

Dr Akhil Kumar Rustagi, Senior Director & HOD – Cardiac Sciences, ShardaCare Healthcity, said:

“This patient faced an extremely high risk of fatal rupture due to an infected carotid aneurysm—a condition that is both rare and surgically challenging. The initial endovascular stabilisation was crucial to controlling the bleeding. The subsequent aneurysmorrhaphy required precise surgical planning to remove the infected clot and restore vascular integrity safely. Thanks to coordinated efforts across multiple specialities, we were able to stabilise her condition, prevent rupture, and achieve a smooth recovery. She now has a better quality of life and has shown excellent postoperative improvement.”

Dr Kousar Shah, Group CEO, ShardaCare Healthcity, said:

“This case highlights ShardaCare Healthcity’s commitment to delivering advanced, multidisciplinary care for complex, high-risk conditions. From emergency response and interventional radiology to cardiac and surgical reconstruction, our teams worked seamlessly to ensure the best outcome. Such life-saving recoveries reinforce our mission of providing world-class clinical excellence to every patient.”

Following surgery and a week of careful monitoring, the patient regained stability and was discharged in good health. Her family expressed profound gratitude to the ShardaCare Healthcity team for managing a condition that very few centres in the region are equipped to handle.

The successful recovery underscores ShardaCare Healthcity’s capabilities in handling rare vascular emergencies and delivering collaborative, patient-centric care.