Minimally invasive endovascular surgery performed on Yemen woman at JIVAS

Dr. KR Suresh led a team of experts who successfully performed a endovascular procedure in the abdomen and both legs of 59-year-old Mrs. Rawia Saleh Abdulhaedh, at Jain Institute of Vascular Science (JIVAS), which is a Unit of Bangalore-based Bhagwan Mahaveer Jain Hospital. The surgery is also renowned as angioplasty and stenting of the blocked aorta. Mrs. Rawia Saleh Abdulhaedh came from a country in Middle East, Yemen.

Both the legs of Mrs. Abdulhaedh have been saved from being amputated after making small cuts in her thighs and left arm for performing the surgery. Mrs. Abdulhaedh has been discharged from the hospital and recovering well by wearing specialised footwear for the daily walk.

Mrs. Rawia developed gangrene of toes of right foot (leg attack) about 4 months ago. She underwent a procedure called “cross over bypass” at Yemen which did not function and her right foot became progressively worse and a major amputation of the leg was suggested. Also the toes of her left foot also started turning blue. She went to Jain Institute of Vascular Science (JIVAS), in September for further treatment to save her from amputation of both the legs.

When Mrs. Rawia arrived at JIVAS, she was noted to be diabetic. Her blood was extremely thinned out from blood thinners and she also had kidney failure. In fact, she was quite critical from prolonged illness. All the toes of her right foot were gangrenous and severely infected. She also had ulcers on the left leg. She needed intensive therapy to correct her problems and then an MR angiogram revealed that the bypass done in the leg at Yemen was completely blocked. The aorta (the largest blood vessel in the body) inside her abdomen was partially blocked and also the blood vessel to the right leg was completely blocked. Her heart was also weak and because of her multiple problems, a bypass procedure for this blockage of the leg arteries could not be done, since this is a very major surgical procedure and she may not have tolerated it.

She needed prolonged ICU care and had an excellent result from the procedure, though she lost all the toes in her right foot. The wound is healing with specialized vacuum dressings and from newer method of skin grafting. She is now discharged, walking with specialized footwear and waiting for her wound to completely heal before returning to Yemen.