96-year-old Delhi man succesfully undergoes bypass surgery

One of the oldest patients to undergo an open heart bypass surgery in India, a 96-year-old man recently underwent the life-saving procedure and was discharged from hospital Friday, doctors said.

Delhi Public Library's former director, J.C. Mehta, was admitted to the BLK Super Speciality Hospital March 25 after he complained of severe chest pain and suffered a heart attack. The doctors after examining him found that he had a blockage of the left main artery.

"He was perhaps one of the oldest persons in the country to have undergone open heart bypass surgery," said Sushant Srivastava, senior consultant and director, cardiothoracic and vascular surgery, BLK Heart Centre, who conducted the surgery.

Srivastava added that the blockage had put Mehta at risk for a second heart attack which he would not have survived.

"The treatment for this kind of blockage is open heart bypass surgery only, which at his age was considered very risky," he said.

Health experts opine that Mehta's age, fragile tissues, diseased arteries and weak lungs contributed to the surgery's risk factor.

"With precision and latest technique, bypass was done on the beating heart. The first few post operative days in the ICU were tense. Very slowly the heart started pumping better, and gradually life supporting systems were removed," said Mradul Kaushik, director, operations and planning.

Kaushik added that Mehta recovered within a couple of days and was able to sit on a chair and walk with support.