New Delhi: Indian doctors at a hospital here have provided a new lease of life to a 61-year-old Pakistani man suffering from heart disease as well as deteriorating kidneys.
Zafar Khan, from Peshawar in Pakistan, was suffering from a condition where the pumping of the heart had deteriorated to the extent that he was unable to perform daily activities.
Khan underwent a stent procedure seven years ago in Pakistan and a year ago developed a serious problem with his kidney. Tests revealed that his heart was functioning at only 15-16 per cent of its capacity.
The poor functioning of his heart worsened his condition and doctors refused to treat him.
Khan was advised to undergo a Cardiac Resynchronisation Therapy (CRT) implantation — and arrived at the Fortis Escorts Heart Institute here.
The procedure involved implanting a pacemaker. Three wires (leads) connected to the device would monitor the heart rate to detect irregularities and emit tiny pulses of electricity to correct them.
“Zafar Khan was brought to our hospital in a critical condition. Considering a CRT implantation in such patients can be extremely challenging as it required extra precautions,” said Aparna Jaswal, associate director (Electrophysiology) at Fortis Escorts Heart Institute.
The CRT implantation improved his heart’s ability to pump blood and oxygen to the body.
“With the implant of the CRT we are hoping he should be able to live better and longer,” Jaswal stated.
“I was so dejected when we got repeated refusals from doctors in Pakistan and India that our father’s heart was beyond treatment,” said a tearful Ebrahim, the patient’s son.
“We are very thankful to the doctors for giving our father a new lease of life,” he added.
