FIRST IN ODISHA: PFO DEVICE CLOSURE OF A YOUNG LADY WITH STROKE AT AMRI Hospitals

Bhubaneswar: A 25 year old lady suffered from brain stroke. This is called ‘Stroke in Young’. Dr Akash Agrawal, consultant Neurology, AMRI Hospitals Bhubaneswar thoroughly investigated for the cause of stroke in such young age.

As conventional risk factors for stroke doesn’t apply in young patients. Dr Aakash Agrawal  suspected that a cardiac origin or hole in the heart as a cause of stroke is highly likely as is the case in many such young patients and asked Dr Dibya Ranjan Behera, consultant, Cardiologist at AMRI Hospitals, to perform specialized tests like bubble contrast ECHO to confirm the same. Dr. Behera took special interest in the case and performed specialized tests tike Transesophageal ECHO with bubble contrast to ultimately clinch this rare diagnosis. It is found that blood is flowing in reverse direction, i.e., right to left through it.  This can cause trespass of blood clots from right side to left side of heart causing brain stroke, hence also called as “Cryptogenic Stroke”.

The collaborative team came to the conclusion that closure of the hole (PFO) would benefit the patient and prevent such strokes in future and advised the patient regarding the same.

A cardiac team led by Dr Behera performed closure of that hole by a key hole intervention called “PFO Device Closure” by using Amplatzer PFO occlude at AMRI Hospitals Bhubaneswar.  Patient was doing well after surgery and planned for discharge.

“Perhaps this is the first case of PFO device closure in our state of Odisha. “Such intervention can bring a ray of hope for young patients with cryptogenic stroke”, Dr Dibya Ranjan Behera said. , “We are thankful to the cardiac cathlab team for success of this procedure, he added.”

-OdishaAge