TWO PATIENTS RE-OPERATED BY TWO GENERATIONS OF DOCTORS AT FRONTIER LIFELINE HOSPITAL

In a very rare instance, two patients with the same heart disease were operated by two generations of doctors from the same family, at Frontier Lifeline Hospital. Both the patients - Mr. Chinniah Naidu Rose & Mrs. Ramya Subramanian underwent Mitral Valve Replacement for the first time at Frontier Lifeline hospital in 2007 where Dr. KM Cherian ( Father) had performed the valve replacement surgeries. In 2021, both the patients visited the hospital again for the re- replacement of the same valves where the re- surgeries were performed by Dr. Sanjay Cherian ( Son).

Both Mr. Rose ( 75 years/ Male) and Mrs. Ramya ( 34 years/ Female) underwent their re- surgery in March 2021 and were discharged in approximately 1 week. It is a coincidence that both patients had a 27mm tissue valve during their first surgery. They both underwent the exact same surgical procedure (Redo Mitral Valve Replacement with a 25mm Valve (Transeptal Approach) during their second surgery.

Sharing his thoughts on performing the re- surgery, Dr Sanjay Cherian, Vice President & Consultant Cardiac Surgeon, Frontier Lifeline Hospital, said, “This was indeed a very rare instance that has occurred. Usually, it is not very common for doctor's children to take up the same profession as their parent; even if they do, it is rare that they take up the same specialty, especially a very demanding field like Cardiac Surgery. When I became a heart surgeon, little did I know that I would be operating on the same patients that my father had operated on 14 years ago! It is indeed a very rare honour. I would like to thank God & my entire team for making it happen “.

Commenting on the occasion, Dr. K. M. Cherian – CEO & Founder, Dr. K. M. Cherian Heart Foundation & Frontier Lifeline Hospital said, “14 years ago, these patients had come to me for a ‘ Mitral Valve replacement'. I didn't expect that they would be operated by 2 generations of doctors from my same family. The bio- prosthetic valve used for both these patients were made of tissues, where usually it lasts for 10- 15 years. It is a sheer co- incidence that both the patients came back to us exactly after 14 years and within a span of one week, my son performed the re- surgery on both these patients. I am happy that both these patients have recovered well and have also been discharged.”