Recurrent Cardiac Arrests: Advanced Procedure Gives New Lease of Life to 47-year-old Patient

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:
A 47-year-old man’s life was saved from sudden death by the medical team at KIMSHEALTH. The patient was initially admitted to a nearby hospital and placed on a ventilator after collapsing at his workplace. He was then referred to KIMSHEALTH for advanced cardiac care.

He underwent multiple emergency defibrillations due to ventricular fibrillation, a life-threatening heart rhythm disorder, and experienced repeated cardiac arrests. Despite having no prior history of heart disease, cardiac imaging revealed that his heart muscle function had deteriorated due to an unknown cause.

While in the ICU, the patient suffered repeated episodes of rhythm disorder, and his blood pressure dropped to undetectable levels. He was immediately placed on ECMO (Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation) to stabilize his heart and lungs. As the support was weaned, he once again developed fibrillation.

At this critical juncture, the medical team led by Dr. Anees Thajudeen, Senior Consultant, Department of Cardiology and Electrophysiology, opted for an advanced and relatively new life-saving intervention: mapping and ablation of ventricular tachycardia (VT). A specialized catheter was inserted through the groin into the heart’s main pumping chamber and mapped in real-time. Much like a GPS tracking system, the catheter recorded electrical signals and identified scarred areas responsible for generating these dangerous rhythms. These areas were then precisely targeted and ablated to eliminate the arrhythmia. During the procedure, the patient had to be defibrillated four times. However, by the end of the successful intervention, all dangerous arrhythmias were eliminated. After confirming that he was free of abnormal rhythms, an implantable defibrillator was inserted to protect against any future arrhythmias.

Following the procedure, the patient made an extraordinary recovery. The repeated cardiac arrests had taken a toll on the function of other organs, including the kidneys and liver. However, with the rhythm problem resolved, the patient made slow and steady progress. Dialysis was gradually withdrawn, and he was discharged after a six-week hospital stay.

“Immediate resuscitation from cardiac arrest is a skill most doctors are trained for. But for high-risk patients like this, a dedicated team of critical care experts is required to stabilize and maintain vital organ functions in the initial days. This allows complex procedures like the ablation of ventricular tachycardia to be performed safely and effectively, resulting in a long-term cure,” said Dr. Anees Thajudeen.

Dr. Shaji Palangadan, Senior Consultant, Department of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery; Dr. Satish B, Senior Consultant, Department of Nephrology; Dr. Subash S and Dr. Anil Radhakrishnan Pillai, Consultants, Department of Cardiac Anaesthesia, were also part of the treatment team.