CHENNAI: Doctors at Apollo Hospitals recently saved the life of a 93-year-old man who had multiple severe blocks in the arteries supplying blood to his brain and right carotid artery, according to a press release. Blood flow to the patient’s brain was minimal, and he had hypertension, dizziness and bronchial asthma for years.
“Blockage in the blood vessels going to the brain can be cleared to prevent stroke. This procedure is called carotid endarterectomy. This procedure is not for a person who has a massive stroke, but for a patient who has all initial symptoms of transient ischemic stroke,” the release quoted Dr V Balaji, senior vascular and endo vascular surgeon, Apollo Hospitals, as saying.
A carotid endarterectomy was performed under regional anaesthesia to avoid general anaesthesia-related complications. Anyone who notices symptoms of a transient ischemic attack (TIA) should visit a hospital and get treated within 48 hours, the doctor said.