Complex open aortic surgery saves critically ill woman

Surgeons at Eastern Hospital saved a woman with a critically narrowed aorta through a complex open operation, LSM reported. Doctors said her condition was critical and the blockage could have proved fatal if the vessel had closed completely.

The woman had persistent pain in her abdomen and legs and was unable to walk or eat, vascular surgeon Pāvels Žibenko said. The operation required opening her chest and abdominal cavity and dividing her diaphragm.

The aim was to restore adequate blood flow, ease her symptoms and prevent further deterioration. Although vascular conditions are usually treated with minimally invasive procedures through the groin, the hospital’s head of vascular surgery, Patrīcija Ivanova, said this was not possible in the woman’s case. The treatment decision was assessed by a multidisciplinary team.

Žibenko said the woman’s first smile in the intensive care unit was the most emotional reward. She has begun rehabilitation and said she is doing incredibly well.