Ronald Aldom, 77, from Portishead near Bristol, had an
unusual heart rhythm called ventricular tachychardia that can be fatal if left
unchecked. Medics had tried to treat it using standard methods but with no
success. They resorted to using pure ethanol to trigger a controlled heart
attack and kill off some of his heart muscle.
The procedure involved passing a catheter into a blood
vessel in the groin and guiding it up towards the heart. Once the catheter
identifies which part of the heart the dangerous rhythms are coming from, the
ethanol dose can be delivered. This kills the area of the heart muscle causing
the problem allowing the heart's rhythm to return to normal. This rare
treatment has only been conducted a handful of times in the UK.
Cardiologist Dr Tom Johnson, who carried out the
procedure at the Bristol Heart Institute, said Mr Aldom was now "much
better".
"He wasn't going to leave hospital unless something
was done. There was no other option."
Mr Aldom, who is now out of hospital, said: "I think
it's wonderful that the doctors tried everything to help me."If they
hadn't have done this I wouldn't be here now".
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