A 52- year-old male patient who was suffering from a rare ear infection (malignant otitis externa) came to AIIMS emergency with severe pain and bleeding from his right ear. He was already operated twice elsewhere but there was no improvement in his condition. The patient was admitted to AIIMS and managed by a team of doctors from ENT department, headed by Dr Vikas Gupta, which helped in controlling the pain and infection in the ear.
However, the infection was so severe that it had already spread to the main blood vessel of the brain (internal carotid artery). This led to damage and weakening of the blood vessel (pseudoaneurysm) resulting in repeated episodes of bleeding from the ear. There was also a danger of complete tear of the blood vessel which could have caused life-threatening bleeding; therefore the patient was in need of urgent treatment.
This injured bleeding blood vessel was treated using an Intervention Radiology technique (covered stent placement). A very thin wire was inserted in a blood vessel in the groin region and advanced to reach the damaged blood vessel. Using this wire, a covered stent was placed in the injured blood vessel at the site from where it was bleeding. This procedure was performed by Dr Aman Kumar under the guidance of Dr Rajesh Malik, Professor and Head, Department of Radiodiagnosis. After the procedure, the patient became completely symptom free with no further episodes of bleeding from the ear. In this way, the patient's life was saved using this unique procedure performed through a very small cut in the groin, without the need for surgery and anaesthesia.
Apart from providing advanced diagnostic imaging services, the Department of Radiodiagnosis, AIIMS Bhopal has been performing minimally invasive Intervention Radiology procedures which have been a boon for patients suffering from complex diseases of blood vessels.
Prof. (Dr.) Ajai Singh, Executive Director and CEO, AIIMS Bhopal, congratulated the team of doctors from Department of Radiodiagnosis for this achievement. Prof. Malik emphasised the need for spreading awareness amongst the general public about the modern vascular and non-vascular intervention procedures and facilities available at AIIMS Bhopal.
