Third time's a charm! Surgery helps 63-year-old after failed bypass, angioplasty

After a failed bypass and angioplasty, doctors at SL Raheja Hospital successfully treated a 63-year-old man who again landed in hospital with a blocked artery. The doctors used four stents to clear just one blockage.

Haripandit Devkar, a Mahim resident, had blocked artery since 2004. "When he came to us, he was not able to walk for even 10 metres and felt breathless. He had undergone a bypass and angioplasty but both had failed," said Dr Harish Mehta, cardiologist.

Mehta added that Devkar approached the doctors who had performed the bypass and angioplasty but they refused to help him further. "They said Devkar was a high-risk patient and, therefore, going for any procedure will risk his life. His daily routine was getting affected," said Mehta.

Devkar has been a diabetic for the past 15 years. Mehta said uncontrolled diabetes and bad luck led to the recurrent artery blockage problem. "Taking his age into consideration and his condition of having had a bypass and angioplasty, this surgery was challenging on many levels. With four stents now fixed, we have reversed the blockage and eased the blood flow," he added.

In 2004, Devkar had suffered a heart attack and had to undergo a bypass surgery for total blockage in his left coronary artery. Nine years later, in 2013, he had a second heart attack for which he underwent an angioplasty of the right coronary artery, wherein one stent was fixed. Two-three months post-surgery, he began experiencing pain and discomfort. He was constantly fatigued, depressed and had low appetite.

His earlier routine would include daily morning and evening walks. But with the pain and discomfort post angioplasty, he was unable to continue his routine.

In January 2014, angiography revealed that his right coronary artery was completely blocked despite the angioplasty. The lining of the artery had covered the stent and was blocking the blood circulation completely.
Devkar was discharged after four days and now is back to his routine. He has regained his appetite, started his daily walks and is now cheerful.