Mohali
May 23
In a remarkable medical breakthrough, doctors at Fortis Hospital Mohali gave 88-year-old man battling multiple heart blockages a new lease of life using advanced Excimer Laser Coronary Angioplasty (ELCA) technology at Fortis Hospital Mohali.
The elderly patient, a diabetic with severe chest pain, was found to have completely blocked stents that had been implanted more than three decades ago. The arteries were heavily calcified and scarred, making conventional angioplasty and open-heart surgery extremely risky.
With limited treatment options available, a team led by Dr RK Jaswal, Director and Head of Cardiology and Cathlabs, turned to cutting-edge laser angioplasty technology to tackle the life-threatening blockages.
Using high-intensity laser energy, doctors vaporised the hardened blockages inside the coronary arteries, restoring blood flow without the complications often associated with routine angioplasty procedures.
“Unlike conventional balloon angioplasty, laser angioplasty converts the blockage into vapours and leaves nothing behind,” Dr Jaswal said, highlighting the precision and safety of the procedure.
RK Jaswal said the advanced technique is especially useful in patients with failed stents, heavy clot burden, blocked bypass grafts and complex coronary artery disease where traditional procedures may not deliver effective results.
The successful procedure offered fresh hope to the patient, who had been struggling with repeated episodes of unbearable chest pain and had little chance of undergoing major surgery because of his age and fragile condition.
Hospital officials said the patient recovered smoothly after the procedure and was discharged in stable condition.
Medical experts believe the success of ELCA technology could significantly improve outcomes for elderly and high-risk cardiac patients, especially those considered unsuitable for open-heart surgery.
