New Delhi: Doctors at Fortis Escorts implant a pacemaker in a centenarian

New Delhi : Doctors at Fortis Escorts Heart Institute exhibited yet again the level of skill and expertise they  are equipped with, in operating a 100 year old lady to implant a pacemaker for better functioning of her heart. The team was led by Dr. Aparna Jaswal, Sr. Consultant, Electrophysiology, Fortis Escorts Heart Institute.

Mrs. Phoolwati Gaharwar had a fall from her bed and was taken to the nearest hospital for treatment. Tests revealed that there were no external injuries but also revealed that one of the wires in the heart was disconnected. This required an urgent implant of the device which could assist her heart in functioning normally. Mrs Phoolwati was then referred to Fortis Escorts by the attending doctor who predicted only a 50% chance for her surviving the surgical procedure.

Allaying the doubts the family had about the surgical procedure to be conducted on the centenarian, Dr. Jaswal explained the benefits of the implant while also indicating the challenges associated with  patients at advanced ages.

Dr. Aparna Jaswal, Sr. Consultant, Electrophysiology, Fortis Escorts Heart Institute said, “Implants of the pace-maker as a procedure is our specialized area and therefore, poses little challenge for us. What was challenging in this patient’s case was her advanced age.  And what helped in her case is that despite her age she had no co-morbidities to complicate the case further. The decision to implant the pacemaker followed the re-current unconscious spells she was going through on and off. We implanted a single chamber pace-maker and she is back on her feet and fine.”

The patient’s grandson, Nishant Gaharwar heartily thanking the doctors said, “My family is really impressed with the way my grandmother was handled, from mobilizing picking her up from the earlier hospital to getting her into the operation theatre, performing the surgical procedure and the recovery thereafter. I have to admit that my family is in no doubt on why Fortis Escorts Heart Institute is so sought after for cardiac solutions. We are very thankful to Dr. Jaswal and her team for allaying our fears about my grandmother’s ability to withstand the surgery and for giving her a new lease of life.”