Chennai : A 54-year-old man with a complicated acute aortic dissection successfully underwent a Modified Bentall Procedure, a crucial emergency cardiac surgery, at Iswarya Hospital, OMR, Chennai. The surgery was led by Dr. S. Muthukumaran, Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgeon, along with Dr. K. Durgadevi, Interventional Cardiologist, Dr. R. S. Sandheep, Cardiac Anaesthetist, and their dedicated team. The procedure lasted more than four hours.
The patient, a resident of Kancheepuram, presented with severe back pain associated with an episode of syncope, a temporary loss of consciousness and muscle control caused by a sudden reduction in blood flow to the brain before arriving at the hospital. The patient admitted at Iswarya Hospital in third week of June 2025 in a critical condition, Dr. S. Muthukumaran and his team examined the patient. His vitals showed elevated blood pressure and bradycardia. The patient had a history of long-term treatment for hypertension and COPD. ECHO and CT aortograms revealed a visible flap in the ascending aorta, confirming an acute Type A aortic dissection with severe aortic regurgitation, while his left ventricular function remained normal.
Given the high risk, doctors performed an emergency Modified Bentall Procedure next day of admission at Iswarya Hospital. This lifesaving surgery involved replacing the diseased aortic valve and aorta with an artificial aortic valved conduit, with anastomosing of coronary buttons to the conduit to preserve blood flow to the heart. In this patient, a 21 mm On-X Ascending Aortic Prosthesis-Aortic valved graft was used. Post-surgery, he made a gradual and steady recovery, showed a remarkable response to treatment and he was discharged from hospital with no major heart complications.
Commenting on the success, Dr. S. Muthukumaran said: "The Modified Bentall Procedure is one of the most technically demanding open-heart surgeries. The patient's condition was critical, but with meticulous planning and teamwork, we successfully restored normal heart function. He is recovering well and is expected to resume normal activities soon."
The success of the procedure highlights the importance of multidisciplinary teamwork, which included the surgeon, cardiologist, anaesthetist, intensivist, and all support staff involved in the patient's care. This lifesaving achievement reinforces Iswarya Hospital's position as a centre of excellence in advanced cardiac and thoracic surgeries, offering world-class treatment options with the latest technology and expertise, said Dr. Arun Muthuvel, MD, Iswarya Hospital.
The patient, who had been experiencing breathlessness and chest discomfort, is now stable. With timely surgical intervention, his long-term prognosis has significantly improved.