<p>A middle-aged Yemeni national who developed a “double-heart” after a massive heart attack in February was freed from fears of a sudden cardiac arrest following surgery in Bengaluru this month.</p>.<p>Mohammed Abdullah (56), a farmer from Yemen, had suffered a massive heart attack and found himself beset by a rare condition called a large ventricular aneurysm which resulted in an “outpouching” of the main chamber of his heart, effectively giving him a “double-heart”, which equalled the main heart in size but was non-contractile and did not have a pulse.</p>.<p>With no access to a proper hospital because of the civil war in Yemen, Abdullah later told doctors that he drank a glass of water and applied honey to his chest in an effort to solve the problem.</p>.<p>Predictably, the remedy failed.</p>.<p>As months went by, Abdullah told doctors that he realised something was wrong. His heart was pumping abnormally low levels of blood through the body. When a nephew living in Kammanahalli, Bengaluru, suggested treatment at a hospital in the city, Abdullah made a five-day journey by boat and plane to reach India.</p>.<p>Dr Adil Sadaq, the head of cardio-thoracic surgery at Sakra World Hospital, said he was shocked by the size of Abdullah’s “outpouching” which showed signs of rupturing any moment.</p>.<p>“The pumping power of the heart was only 30% while it should have been 60%,” Dr Sadiq said.</p>.<p>“I did not expect to see this condition because it affects only 0.25% of people worldwide. The prevalence rate was about 5% five decades ago when people had less access to healthcare.”</p>.<p>He quickly realised that Abdullah fulfilled three of the seven criteria for cardiac arrest — he had diabetes, high cholesterol and a high intake of tobacco.</p>.<p>Following successful endoventricularplasty and bypass surgery, the patient was discharged after which he returned to his farm in Yemen.</p>
<p>A middle-aged Yemeni national who developed a “double-heart” after a massive heart attack in February was freed from fears of a sudden cardiac arrest following surgery in Bengaluru this month.</p>.<p>Mohammed Abdullah (56), a farmer from Yemen, had suffered a massive heart attack and found himself beset by a rare condition called a large ventricular aneurysm which resulted in an “outpouching” of the main chamber of his heart, effectively giving him a “double-heart”, which equalled the main heart in size but was non-contractile and did not have a pulse.</p>.<p>With no access to a proper hospital because of the civil war in Yemen, Abdullah later told doctors that he drank a glass of water and applied honey to his chest in an effort to solve the problem.</p>.<p>Predictably, the remedy failed.</p>.<p>As months went by, Abdullah told doctors that he realised something was wrong. His heart was pumping abnormally low levels of blood through the body. When a nephew living in Kammanahalli, Bengaluru, suggested treatment at a hospital in the city, Abdullah made a five-day journey by boat and plane to reach India.</p>.<p>Dr Adil Sadaq, the head of cardio-thoracic surgery at Sakra World Hospital, said he was shocked by the size of Abdullah’s “outpouching” which showed signs of rupturing any moment.</p>.<p>“The pumping power of the heart was only 30% while it should have been 60%,” Dr Sadiq said.</p>.<p>“I did not expect to see this condition because it affects only 0.25% of people worldwide. The prevalence rate was about 5% five decades ago when people had less access to healthcare.”</p>.<p>He quickly realised that Abdullah fulfilled three of the seven criteria for cardiac arrest — he had diabetes, high cholesterol and a high intake of tobacco.</p>.<p>Following successful endoventricularplasty and bypass surgery, the patient was discharged after which he returned to his farm in Yemen.</p>
