Mother, Son With ‘Extremely Rare’ Heart Condition Operated Upon Successfully At Hyderabad Hospital

The doctors noted that this family, being exceptionally tall, encounters numerous health challenges.

Hyderabad: Medical professionals are said to be godsend healers who provide relief to those suffering from various illnesses. Proving this adage yet again, a team of doctors and surgeons successfully operated on a woman and her son at a private hospital in Hyderabad. The two have suffering from aortic aneurysms, balloon-like bulges that occur in the aorta, the main artery that carries oxygen-rich blood to the body.

The case is reported to be exceptionally rare, involving a woman who inherited a heart condition from her mother and subsequently transmitted it to both her sons. While such conditions may arise from genetic factors, the incidence of the exceedingly rare Marfan Syndrome is even less common, affecting merely 0.19 individuals per 100,000.

Marfan Syndrome is a genetic disorder that changes the proteins that help make healthy connective tissue.

Dr. Vishal V. Khante, a Consultant Cardiothoracic Surgeon, reported that a mother and son underwent successful surgery at Kamineni Hospital. The medical team replaced their aneurysmal aortas with artificial ones, saving their lives. The doctors noted that this family, being exceptionally tall, encounters numerous health challenges. They suffer from weak bones and ligaments, as well as issues with their blood vessels and valves.

“About six months ago, a woman came to our emergency department. After various tests, we found that her aorta had ruptured due to an aneurysm. We immediately performed emergency surgery to implant an artificial aorta. She was noticeably taller than the average woman, standing at 5 feet 9 inches,” Khante said.

The woman’s 18-year-old son, who visited her, was also notably tall at 6 feet 4 inches, indicating genetic similarities. “We suspected that the son might also inherit certain conditions, including Marfan Syndrome, and tested him as well. We found the same issue and advised him to undergo surgery immediately. However, due to financial constraints, they returned six months later,” said the doctor.

The young man had a significantly enlarged aorta. Following all the necessary tests, the doctors decided to perform the Bentall procedure, a complex surgery.

“We removed the enlarged aorta and replaced it with an artificial one, implanting a size 29 valve and tube. This is a very complex and challenging surgery, with only about a 50 per cent success rate. Fortunately, the surgeries for both the mother and now the elder son were completely successful,” said Khante.

“This hereditary condition is passed down genetically. In this case, it affected the grandmother, the mother, and the elder son. Tests on the 14-year-old younger son revealed he also has the same issue. Identifying these conditions as early as possible allows timely intervention before the aorta enlarges and ruptures,” Khante said.

(With IANS inputs)