● Critical stage of a complex heart surgery completed in approximately 13 minutes, with the
patient discharged just five days after surgery.
Chennai, 3 rd November 2026: Prashanth Hospitals, one of South India’s leading super-speciality
healthcare providers, has successfully performed a complex heart surgery to save the life of a 51-year-
old patient with a severely enlarged aorta measuring 10.5 cm. The aorta, the main blood vessel that
carries blood from the heart to the rest of the body, had developed a tear in its wall, weakening the
vessel and putting the patient at risk of a life-threatening rupture. The surgery was performed by a
team of cardiac surgeons led by Dr. Koushik Kannan, Consultant – Cardiothoracic Surgeon, Prashanth
Hospitals, Chennai and Dr. Sushma Nandipati, Senior Consultant – Cardiothoracic Anesthesia & Critical
Care.
The patient presented with severe chest pain and elevated blood pressure. Following an initial
assessment, the medical team determined that immediate surgery was necessary. A team of cardiac
specialists performed a complex procedure called a Modified Bentall procedure to replace the
damaged section of the aorta near the heart. The surgery also involved replacing the aortic valve,
reconnecting the arteries supplying blood to the heart muscle, and replacing part of the aortic arch,
which carries blood towards the brain and upper body.
During the procedure, the surgeons temporarily stopped blood circulation throughout the body to
repair the damaged blood vessel. The patient’s body temperature was lowered to 18°C to help protect
vital organs during this critical phase. Despite the complexity of the surgery, the team completed a
crucial stage involving the joining of the replacement blood vessel in approximately 13 minutes. The
patient recovered well, experienced no reported postoperative complications, and was discharged on
the fifth day after surgery.
Speaking about the case, Dr. Koushik Kannan, Consultant – Cardiothoracic Surgeon, Prashanth
Hospitals, said, “The case was particularly challenging, as the aorta, the main blood vessel carrying
blood from the heart to the rest of the body, had enlarged significantly and its wall had weakened due
to a tear. The surgery required careful planning and precise coordination, particularly during the phase
when blood circulation was temporarily stopped to repair the damaged vessel. Completing a critical
stage of the surgery in approximately 13 minutes reflects the precision and coordination of the surgical
team. We are pleased that the patient recovered well and was discharged on the fifth day after
surgery.”
About Prashanth Hospitals: Prashanth Hospitals is a multidisciplinary hospital that provides
sophisticated and dedicated healthcare services by professionally trained experts. Prashanth Super-
specialty Hospital at Velachery and Kolathur is one of the best- and well-known multi- specialty
hospitals in Chennai. These facilities have well trained and skilled nursing staff who can take good care
of the patients. The vision is to become an internationally renowned medical institute by providing
excellent health care services to the patients, and the mission is to maintain the trust of the patient by
providing good quality of health care. The values on which Prashanth Super-specialty Hospitals
function are quality of care, respect, competence, the effectiveness of the treatment, safety, and
creating health awareness among the people. Prashanth Super- specialty Hospitals also provides
various health care packages for check-ups and diagnosis of any ailment and their treatments.