Doctors save the expat’s life and his dream of seeing his daughter’s marriage

DUBAI: A 48-year-old Indian expat diagnosed with multi-organ complications has undergone a six-hour-long life-saving procedure at a private hospital. 

The multi-disciplinary team of doctors who performed the complex procedure on the patient diagnosed him with a leaking infectious aneurysm in his thoracic aorta, a tear in his esophagus, and thrombosis in his right lower limb. The doctors also drained over 300 ml of pus built around his heart. 

The patient, P Shajikuttan, a welder by profession, reported to the emergency department of Aster Hospital, Mankhool, on March 23 in a semi-conscious state. He was rushed to the hospital after his colleagues found him vomiting blood and collapsing in the room. 

According to his colleagues, Shajikuttan was suffering from fever and body pain for a few days, and his health deteriorated suddenly.

“By the time Shajikuttan reached the hospital, he had lost a lot of blood. He was in a hemorrhagic shock, so we could not get many details. So our first attempt was to stabilize the patient,” said Dr. Senthilnathan TT, specialist vascular and endovascular surgeon at Aster Hospital, Mankhool.

“An immediate chest x-ray revealed a widened mediastinum indicating the presence of an aneurysm in the thoracic aorta. He was swiftly subjected to a CT scan which revealed the massive infectious aneurysm that had started leaking. The aneurysm was about to rupture. If it had ruptured, the patient would have died,” added the doctor.

The patient was immediately subjected to a minimally-invasive TEVAR (Thoracic Endo Vascular Aortic aneurysm Repair) procedure, which was successful. 

However, the leakage from the infectious aneurysm had filled up around the heart, and the patient soon experienced a cardiac emergency caused by pericardial effusion. 

“We shifted him from the cardiac ICU to the cath lab, where he underwent pericardiocentesis. The procedure drains fluid build-up around the heart. To our surprise, over 300 ml of pus was drained,” said Dr. Naveed. 

Shajikuttan’s family and relatives responded to his sudden deterioration with shock. “He was a hard worker and very healthy. He was completely normal and had no lifestyle diseases as well. We cannot understand what went wrong,” said Mathew, the patient’s relative who works in Abu Dhabi. 

“Shajikuttan had informed me that he was suffering from fever and cough for a few days. I had been in regular touch with him. We used to call every day. Shajikuttan told me he had taken leave due to fever. He was in the room for three days. On the fourth day, he vomited blood and collapsed in the room,” added Mathew.

Shajikuttan, who is now recovering at Aster Hospital, Mankhool, was planning to go to India for his daughter’s marriage in the first week of April. 

“I do not know what to say. I can only thank God and the doctors at Aster for giving me this second chance at life. I cannot even remember what happened to me. It all happened suddenly. I want to attend my daughter’s marriage. That is my only dream now. The doctors here have made that possible. My family and I will forever be indebted to them,” said Shajikuttan.

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