Hubballi hospital treats rare lung vascular defect via keyhole procedure

A 28-year-old man diagnosed with a rare pulmonary arteriovenous malformation (PAVM) alongside a cerebral abscess has been successfully treated at HCG Suchirayu Hospital in Hubballi through a minimally invasive endovascular procedure.

Addressing reporters in Hubballi on Friday, Venkatesh H.A., Senior Consultant in Neuro and Vascular Interventional Radiology, said the patient first came in with neurological symptoms. Investigations later revealed a malformation in the right lung and an abscess on the left side of the brain.

Outlining the treatment, Dr. Venkatesh said Digital Subtraction Angiography (DSA) was used at the outset to map the pulmonary blood vessels in detail and pinpoint the abnormal connection. The procedure lasted more than an hour.

"We first identified the feeding artery, the abnormal vascular connection and the draining vein through angiography. A catheter was then navigated through the blood vessels to the site of the malformation, following which specialised embolic materials were used to block the abnormal blood flow," he said.

Imaging carried out after the procedure confirmed that the abnormal vascular channels had been effectively occluded, he added.

Explaining the condition, Dr. Venkatesh said a PAVM is an abnormal direct link between the pulmonary arteries and veins, which lets blood bypass the lungs' normal filtration and oxygenation process. Clots or infected material can, in some cases, travel through this abnormal connection to the brain, raising the risk of complications such as a stroke or a brain abscess.

Manjunath H.D., chief operating officer of the hospital, said the case underlined the value of specialised vascular care and multidisciplinary services being available in the region. The patient tolerated the procedure well and was discharged in a stable condition, he said.