Rare Lung Clot Surgery Performed for CTEPH Patient

When Navin Kumar, a 27-year-old from Sotai, Faridabad, was rushed to Sarvodaya Hospital, Sector 8, Faridabad, he could barely breathe. His oxygen level had dropped to just 84% — much below the normal level of 95–100% — and his lungs were packed with blood clots.

To save his life, doctors had to perform an extraordinarily rare and high-risk surgery — one that required stopping his heart and blood circulation completely while cooling his body to a near-freezing temperature of 22°C. During those critical minutes, every second mattered as the team raced against time to remove massive clots from his lungs and bring him back to life.

This surgery became one of the most challenging and remarkable achievements of our Paediatric to Adult Cardio Thoracic & Vascular Surgery (CTVS) Department — showcasing precision, teamwork, and advanced expertise under extreme pressure.

Understanding the Disease

Navin was diagnosed with a rare condition called Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension (CTEPH) — a disease where blood clots block the vessels carrying blood from the heart to the lungs.

Because of these blockages, the right side of the heart was under tremendous strain, forcing it to pump harder to push blood into the lungs.

Over time, this leads to dangerously high pressure in the lung vessels and eventual heart failure.
If left untreated, this condition can turn fatal within a few years, with a survival rate as low as 5% over five years.

How It All Began?

Two years ago, Navin had deep vein thrombosis (DVT) — clots in the veins of his legs. Though doctors prescribed blood thinners, he discontinued them after a month.

In the weeks leading to his admission, he started feeling breathless, coughed up blood, and became too weak to even talk. By the time he arrived at Sarvodaya, his lungs were filled with clots, and his oxygen level had fallen dangerously.

When Medicines Couldn’t Help Anymore

Navin was immediately shifted to the ICU, intubated, and put on a mechanical ventilator. Blood thinners and oxygen therapy were started, but he didn’t respond. His oxygen levels continued to drop, and he began bleeding through the airway tube.

At this point, the team realized that no medicine could help him survive — only a high-risk, rare surgery could give him another chance at life.

Inside the Operation Theatre

The team led by Dr. Anupam Das, Senior Consultant & Head - Cardiothoracic & Vascular Surgery decided to perform a Bilateral Pulmonary Thromboendarterectomy — a complex surgery that removes clots from both sides of the lung arteries.

During the 6-hour-long procedure:

• Navin’s heart was stopped for 85 minutes
• His blood circulation was completely halted for 35 minutes
• His body temperature was lowered to 22°C to protect vital organs
• Surgeons carefully removed thick clots from both lung arteries without injuring the delicate lung tissue

It was a race against time — at such low temperatures, blood flow can be stopped for only 40–45 minutes before organs like the brain, kidneys, and intestines start suffering irreversible damage.

A Team Effort that Saved a Life

The surgery was a complete success. The clots were fully removed, lung pressure returned to normal, and oxygen levels stabilized. Within 48 hours, Navin was off the ventilator. A follow-up bronchoscopy cleared the remaining airway clots, and he was soon breathing freely again.

He was discharged with stable vitals and 97% oxygen on room air — a sign of complete recovery.

A Proud Moment for Our CTVS Team

This surgery highlights the excellence, precision, and teamwork of the Sarvodaya Hospital CTVS Department — managing complex heart–lung surgeries that many centers hesitate to attempt.

“Such surgeries demand detailed planning, coordination, and absolute focus. Every member of our CTVS, anaesthesia, perfusion, and ICU teams played a crucial role in this success.”
— Dr. Anupam Das

Delivering Excellence from Paediatric to Adult Cardiac Care

From newborns with congenital heart defects to adults battling life-threatening cardiac conditions, the Paediatric to Adult CTVS team at Sarvodaya Hospital continues to deliver outcomes that bring new life and new hope — even in the most challenging situations.