Cardiologist shares how 68 year old with acute heart failure, kidney dysfunction was saved with ‘rare medical treatment’ | Health
Heart failure can strike suddenly and severely, leaving families desperate for solutions. Talking to HT Lifestyle, Dr. Anand R. Shenoy, Interventional Cardiologist at Manipal Hospital, Bengaluru, shared the rare medical case of a 68-year-old man, Jeevan Murthy, who suffered from kidney dysfunction and acute heart failure but was saved by an uncommon medical procedure. (Also read: Cardiologist shares 8 dangerous cholesterol myths that could be harming your heart health: ‘Risk starts early…’ )
How man’s routine life turned into medical emergency
Dr. Shenoy explained, “At 68, Jeevan Murthy had made a quiet, content life for himself, enjoying daily morning walks and family time in the evening. A retired professional from Bangalore, he rarely missed his daily routine. But since early 2025, symptoms of breathlessness began to interrupt his life, especially during walks and climbing stairs, which was also accompanied by fatigue.”
Despite multiple hospital visits, his breathlessness persisted. “A diagnosis of Triple Vessel Disease was made, for which bypass surgery was recommended. He also had high creatinine levels, indicating kidney dysfunction, and borderline diabetes. Considering his age, he was initially managed with medications. However, his condition worsened to the point where he struggled to breathe even at rest and couldn’t sleep properly at night,” Dr. Shenoy added.
When his family brought him to the hospital, Murthy had severe breathlessness, swelling in the legs, and decreased urine output. He was immediately shifted to the ICU. “At this time, his condition progressed to acute heart failure, demanding immediate care. He was placed on non-invasive ventilation to support his breathing,” said Dr. Shenoy.
How his life was saved with rare medical procedure
Despite the complexity of his health condition, Murthy underwent a high-risk multivessel percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in a manner rarely performed for such high-risk patients. During the procedure, he was placed on veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA ECMO), temporarily taking over the function of the heart and lungs. Three drug-eluting stents were placed in his major arteries to restore blood flow, and he was weaned off ECMO on March 18 after his vitals stabilised.
Dr. Shenoy explained, “ECMO-guided PCI is a unique, novel procedure to treat coronary artery disease. It is reserved for extremely high-risk patients like Jeevan, where traditional options like bypass surgery are too dangerous, and the heart is too weak to withstand even angioplasty on its own. It’s not indicated in regular angioplasties where the patient is stable. ECMO can be used from a few hours to several days, depending on the patient’s condition, and provides excellent support in hemodynamically unstable patients.”
Today, Jeevan is recovering well. He no longer experiences breathlessness and sleeps peacefully at night. He has gradually resumed his daily routine, morning walks with his wife, evening family moments, riding his bike, and gardening on the terrace, his favourite pastime.
When should one consider such procedure
Dr. Shenoy shared, “When patients have severely depressed heart function and cannot withstand angioplasty, the procedure needs to be done under hemodynamic support like ECMO or Impella to prevent adverse outcomes during and after the procedure. Ideally, IABP (intra-aortic balloon pump) is advisable alongside VA ECMO to reduce afterload. In our case, it wasn’t deemed necessary due to the short procedure time and cost considerations.”
Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.
