Vascular surgery saves the leg of a 90-year-old man.

(Baonghean.vn) - The Friendship General Hospital of Nghean province has successfully performed vascular surgery, saving the leg of a 90-year-old man.

The external iliac artery and common femoral artery of the left leg are completely blocked. Photo: Hoang Yen

Mr. Vo Cong Huan (90 years old, from Thanh Chuong district) suffered from a complex chronic arterial blockage, experiencing frequent pain, rendering him unable to walk and confined to bed. Believing he had sprained his ankle after a fall, his family self-medicated him, but his condition did not improve. Only when the swelling, bruising, and pain in his left toe spread towards his knee did he finally seek treatment at Nghe An General Hospital.

Clinical examination and imaging revealed that the patient had multiple atherosclerotic plaques causing irregular stenosis and occlusion of the lower extremity arteries on both sides. Specifically, the external iliac artery and common femoral artery of the left leg were completely occluded. Severe blood supply to the limbs led to infection, necrosis of the toes, and progressive spread of the condition.

Without surgery, the growing necrotic tissue will directly affect the patient's life due to the risk of infection and poisoning.

Surgery saves Mr. Huan's leg. Photo: Hoang Yen

According to Master Pham Van Chung, Deputy Head of the Thoracic Surgery Department: "The patient's blood vessels were too long and complex to be blocked, so surgery was the optimal solution. However, the patient was elderly and in poor health, making the surgery very difficult and fraught with risks, from anesthesia and surgical procedures to post-operative surgical recovery."

Following the surgery, Mr. Huan's health recovered well and he was discharged from the hospital on the morning of December 20th. Photo: Hoang Yen

In that situation, the hospital doctors were determined to try to save the patient's legs and life. On December 7th, the patient underwent major surgery, with an artificial blood vessel surgically created as a bypass from the right femoral artery to the left thigh, running through a tunnel under the skin above the pubic bone. Next, the doctors created another bypass from the femoral artery to the popliteal artery using an autologous vein taken from the right leg; bringing blood to the lower leg below the knee.

Following the surgery, the patient's health improved significantly. The pain in his left leg subsided, the necrosis of his big toe stopped progressing, and his foot and toes regained their healthy pink color thanks to increased blood supply. On December 20th, Mr. Vo Cong Huan was discharged from the hospital.

Hoang Yen