Ruislip & Eastcote & Northwood Gazette
‘I felt completely fine and had no symptoms’
EALING ENGINEER SO GRATEFUL FOR WORK MEDICAL THAT LED TO DIAGNOSIS OF RARE CONDITION
AN engineer from Ealing who worked on London’s ‘Super Sewer’ and the Elizabeth Line was diagnosed with a rare condition after a compulsory routine medical assessment at work picked up a heart murmur.
Radu Vizitiu, 53, was working 70 metres below the Thames on the 25km, £4.1billion super sewer which is aiming to clean up the river and protect wildlife, when he was urged to contact his GP.
He said: “I operate machinery, including the huge tunnel boring machine used to excavate the earth between London and the Thames Valley. Because we are working deep below ground, a requirement of work is to be extremely fit in case we need to evacuate in the event of an emergency – for example if someone gets injured in the tunnel such as a heart attack or whatever, you get a stretcher and take them out as quick as possible.
“You need to be really fit to run 300 metres, carry the oxygen bottle, the stretcher and the casualty. We therefore have medicals every three months to ensure we are in good health – such as height and weight checks, cholesterol, blood sugar, hearing, eye sight, blood pressure.”
His blood pressure check picked up a fast heart beat and Radu was pulled out of the rescue team, where he had worked for 15 years, and told to contact his GP.
Radu, who is originally from Romania but has lived in West London for the last 25 years, said he was then referred for an MRI scan at Hammersmith Hospital.
Doctors diagnosed chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH), characterised by blood clots on the lungs. He was then referred to the Royal Papworth Hospital in Cambridge, the only hospital in the UK that performs the life-saving operation. Radu underwent a pulmonary endarterectomy (PEA), which attempts to clear blood clots from lungs and lasts up to 10 hours, during which time a patient is drained of all their blood and their body cooled to half its normal temperature.
Without treatment, patients with CTEPH likely die within five years.
That is why Radu says he is thanking his lucky stars that his condition got picked up so early. He added: “I felt completely fine and had no symptoms. They discovered me at a very, very early stage, thank God.”
Radu says he is now at 85 per cent good health and hopes to return to the super sewer project down the line, provided doctors at Hammersmith Hospital continue to give him the all-clear.
He is being supported by his wife Lacarmioara, 51, and two sons, Catalim, 35, and Razvan, 20.
He added: “It was a big worry when I was first told about a possible clot. I am so grateful for all the care I have received and to the teams at Royal Papworth from before, during and after surgery.
“It feels great to be back home with my wife, back at work and living my life again. It is amazing. Thank you to the NHS, I consider you all to be gods.”
Commons symptoms of CTEPH include shortness of breath, especially during exercise or when climbing stairs, tiredness, swelling of the legs and dizziness It can be difficult to diagnose as these symptoms are similar to other conditions.
Mr John Taghavi, consultant surgeon, performed Radu’s marathon operation alongside Dr Joe Arrowsmith, consultant anaesthetist.
He said: “Radu’s operation was very successful thanks to the teamwork from everyone involved in theatres, critical care and on the surgical ward.
“CTEPH is a life-limiting and lifeshortening condition but for most patients who have this surgery their level of activity, quality of life and life expectancy will be significantly improved after treatment.”