Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, Delhi successfully treated a 71-year-old patient suffering from a fatal brain disease and gave her a new lease of life

Mrs. Indira Sharma, aged 71 years got a new lease of life at Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, Delhi after getting treatment for a deadly brain disease. She was suffering from carotid stenosis (narrowing of the brain artery due to the calcification of plaque) in the brain. She was successfully treated without open surgery with a new technique for restoration of brain circulation and prevention of catastrophic stroke by inserting a mesh covered stent with distal brain embolic protection. The critical procedure was performed very successfully by Dr. (Prof.) N. N. Khanna, Senior Consultant, Interventional Cardiologist, Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, Delhi.

Explaining the patient’s condition, Dr. N. N. Khanna said, “When she visited us, she complained of dizziness and weakness in the right side of her body for past ten days. The patient had a history of hypertension, type 2 diabetes, Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery (CABG), iliac stenting (angioplasty of leg artery) and permanent pacemaker implantation making the procedure of carotid artery stenting very risky and complicated.

“In order to treat her we performed Carotid Angioplasty with Cerebral Protection on her. We used a fine Mesh Stent, a latest technique in India used for angioplasty of brain artery for prevention of stroke. The technology was first used in Europe and has recently been introduced in India. This is the first operative case here that we performed,” further added Dr Khanna.

Explaining the benefits of this novel technique for restoring brain circulation, and preventing devastating stroke Dr Khanna said, “Unlike a covered stent, this fine mesh stent allows the blood to flow through it but doesn’t allow cholesterol and other clot particles to go into the brain and cause stroke. It filters them out preventing distal embolization from occurring after the carotid angioplasty procedure. The procedure takes about 25 minutes on an average.”

After the surgery, Mrs. Indira Sharma, the patient said, “I was feeling dizziness when I visited Dr Khanna for my treatment. After all my tests were done, Dr Khanna informed me that my right carotid artery was 99% blocked. As I already have a medical history of hypertension, diabetes etc. I got very scared but Dr Khanna reassured and told me about this new technique. I had full faith and confidence in him as he had performed angioplasty, iliac stenting and permanent pacemaker implantation on me before as well, and has great experience in Carotid Stenting. It is due to Dr Khanna’s expertise only that today I am blessed with a new life.”

“The process of carotid stenosis is similar to the blockage of an artery in heart. In this condition also, the cholesterol gets deposited in the brain artery. There is a risk that the loose particles of cholesterol can go to the brain vessels and cause stroke. 50% of stroke in carotid artery stenting occurs in the post-operative period after a successful carotid stenting procedure. This happens because of plaque protrusion into the stent and subsequent embolization. This novel technique doesn’t allow plaque to protrude inside the stent because of the fine mesh around the stent,” Dr Khanna concluded.