32 year old Rwandan gets a new lease of life in India

~Martin undergoes a rare cardiac surgery at Wockhardt Hospitals Mulund-Now a network of Fortis~

A team of cardiac experts led by Dr. Ajay Chaughule, Consultant Cardiac Surgeon, Wockhardt Hospitals Mulund( Now a Network of Fortis Hospitals) performed a major tricuspid valve repair on 32 year old Martin from Republic of Rwanda.

Martin was suffering from breathlessness, swelling on face, extremities and abdomen since last 4 -5 years. Martin had history of Rheumatic fever at the age of 8yr. Doctors in Rwanda diagnosed as having Rheumatic fever and treated him with Injection -penicillin for several years (from age of 9 yrs to age of 15 yrs). However nothing gave relief to Martin of his fever. Soon Martin realized this was not getting him anywhere and he failed to receive the right kind of treatment he decided to venture out to the neighbouring countries in search of treatment. He went to Tanzania, Uganda showed to expert doctor, but there as well no one was able to give a proper diagnosis to his problem. They concluded that Martin was suffering from poor liver function and put him on medication. As a last hope Martin went to Nairobi (Kenya) where investigation revealed that he was suffering from Valvular heart diseases and was advised to undergo Valve Surgery.

“Martin had a very a rare and uncommon valve defect which is called the Rheumatic Isolated Predominant Tricuspid Stenosis of Heart" and required to undergo a valve repair surgery. The heart has four valves – Mitral, Aortic, Pulmonary and Tricuspid. In most common cases the mitral, aortic valves gets affected as the primary pathology and the patient needs to undergo a valve repair or replacement procedure. Tricuspid valve getting affected as isolated one is very rare. In Martin’s case this valve had defect and he needed immediate surgery to correct the problem” said Dr. Ajay Chaughule, Cardio-Thoracic & Vascular Surgeon.

Due to the defect in the Tricuspid wall his heart had formed thrombus or cloth which was of 6 cm in size on the right atrium for which the blood flow was restricted and the thickness of the right atrium became 3 cm whereas in normal condition the size is about 2 -3 mm. His heart condition led to many other issues in his system like his liver had enlarged up to the umbilicus and liver function was deranged. He had severe carditus (inflammation of the heart) which led to adhesion of his heart which means his heart was stuck to the surrounding tissue.

“The Echocardiography confirmed the diagnosis Tricuspid valve stenosis with osifice of 0.8cm normal being 5.8cm. Then we decided to go ahead with immediate surgery as his condition was deteriorating.”

“I had to travel from one place to another in search of the right kind of treatment for my problem. With years my condition worsened and it restricted my physical mobility as I was suffering from severe fatigue and breathlessness at slightest physical activity I used to conduct. My physical ill-health perturbed me to quite an extent and I used to feel terrible when all my friends of my age led a healthy life and could do anything they wanted” said Martin.
“But once my diagnosis was confirmed in Kenya I made up my mind to go ahead with the surgery as I definitely craved for a healthy life.

However the treatment cost there was too high and there were no expert cardiac surgeon available in Kenya. That’s when my elder brother who is a film director came to know from his colleague about treatment option available in India and the expertise at Wockhardt Hospitals Mulund in the cardiac space and he referred us to fly down to India for my surgery. This experience had given me a new meaning to life and I am extremely happy and consider my self to be fortunate enough to have received such marvelous treatment here. Dr. Ajay Chaugle has almost given me a new life and I would definitely like to make the most of it now. I thank Doctor and Wockhardt Hospitals for the phenomenal treatment offered to me” said Martin.