New Delhi: In a rare surgery that had the patient clinically-dead for 17 minutes, doctors at Artemis Health Centre drained out blood from a woman’s body and reconstructed part of her aorta and innomimate artery to give her a ‘‘second life’’. 
   Just a month back 33-year-old Shailesh Devi had little hope of surviving a rare condition that resulted in her aorta — the largest blood vessel in the body — getting enlarged three times its normal size. The condition was so complicated that many doctors in the capital refused to take her case.
   Doctors said the surgery lasted eight hours as they brought down body temperature of the patient to 15 degree Celsius from normal 37 degrees, and using two synthetic grafts, rebuilt portion of the artery that supplies blood to the brain and right arm. 

  For Shailesh, the ordeal began in January when she experienced difficulty in breathing and chest pain. On examination, doctors told her about the congenital defect that had resulted in weakening of blood vessels in the heart. ‘‘We had gone to several hospitals, but doctors refused to take my case,’’ said Shailesh, a resident of Gurgaon, who was operated on August 10.
   There were multiple complications in Shailesh’s case, said doctors at AHI. Apart from the enlarged aorta, a large portion of it was torn with damage extending up to innominate artery. The aortic valve, which pumps blood out of the heart, had also failed.
   ‘‘While opening the chest, the enlarged aorta could have been ruptured as it was too close to the chest bone and this would have resulted in instant death. So we completely drained the blood out of her body and lowered the body temperature to 15 degree Celsius. The body functions were brought to a complete halt. She was clinically dead for nearly 17 minutes,’’ said Dr Kushagra Katariya, CEO and chief cardiothoracic surgeon, AHI.
   The surgery is divided in two stages and for now only one stage has been completed. ‘‘It is a very complicated case as there is lots of damage to the heart. We have replaced part of the aorta with a synthetic graft and used another graft, which is smaller in size than the previous one, to create an outlet connecting the new graft to the innominate artery,’’ said Dr Katariya, who operated upon Shailesh.
   In the next stage, doctors will use specialised stents to create a channel, starting from the top end of the new aorta, through which the blood will flow.
   ‘‘Currently, the second half of the aorta is still enlarged. Surgery on this portion would have increased the risk. We plan to do it in the next few weeks using a minimally invasive technique through the groin. Stents will ensure that the blood doesn’t leak out of the vessel,’’ said Dr Katariya.
   Doctors said the surgery was very risky. ‘‘We took extra care. Even a few minutes’ break in blood supply to brain can result in irreversible damage. That is why, we reduced the body temperature almost halted the body functions. During the procedure we also passed small quantity of cold blood to the brain. After the surgery, our main concern was to see that Shailesh’s body functions are working. We are happy that her body overcame that phase,’’ said Dr Katariya.