Groundbreaking minimally invasive surgery for an interrupted aortic arch saves recent immigrant’s life
Originally from Afghanistan, 30-year-old Allahaddin Amini immigrated to the United States in 2022. He settled in Minnesota with his wife and 6-month-old daughter. His son was born in 2022. Allahaddin supports his family stocking shelves at Target. He enjoys spending time at the park with his children and showing them his soccer moves.
But Allahaddin often had inexplicable headaches, chest pain, and his legs would tire easily.
Growing up, he didn’t have regular access to medical care. As a result, he didn’t know that he was born with a structural heart defect. He was missing part of the aorta, the body’s largest blood vessel. The condition is called an interrupted aortic arch. The aorta carries oxygen-rich blood from the heart out to the body.
Typically, the rare condition is found before birth or shortly after. It’s repaired with open-heart surgery in infancy. This procedure comes with long recovery times and the risk of serious complications. It’s particularly complicated for an adult.
Kimara March, MD, an M Health Fairview cardiologist specializing in adult congenital heart disorders, found Allahadin’s condition in August 2023. He was at M Health Fairview for high blood pressure. March referred Allahaddin to pediatric and congenital interventional cardiologist Varun Aggarwal, MD, at M Health Fairview Masonic Children’s Hospital. Aggarwal is also an associate professor at the University of Minnesota Medical School.
Aggarwal recommended an innovative transcatheter approach to repair the aorta. Without opening the chest with a large incision, Allahaddin would recover quicker.
It would be the first time the procedure had been performed at M Health Fairview on an adult patient. In fact, it had only been done a few times anywhere in the world.
“This transcatheter recanalization of an interrupted aorta represents a groundbreaking milestone for us at M Health Fairview,” Aggarwal said. “This procedure has not been performed at our institution before. This groundbreaking procedure signifies our commitment to pushing the boundaries of medical intervention and providing leading-edge solutions for complex cardiovascular conditions.”
Allahaddin underwent the procedure in January 2024.Aggarwal and March combined the health system’s adult congenital heart and pediatric congenital heart expertise. Although Aggarwal performed the procedure in a catheterization lab, congenital cardiac surgeon Pranava Sinha, MD, was on hand to provide support. Sinha is also a professor at the University of Minnesota Medical School and co-director of the Pediatric Heart Center.
Their team-based, multidisciplinary approach was a key factor in their success. Congenital heart disease used to be a pediatric-only condition. Thanks to advances in medicine, more adults are now living with congenital heart disease than children. The close partnership among pediatric and adult congenital heart specialists, congenital cardiac surgeons, cardiac anesthesiologists, and others was an important advantage.
Allahaddin was able to go home from the hospital the day after his procedure. He was delighted to need only a few days recovering at home. At his first follow-up appointment, he was already feeling much more energetic. He is glad to be able to keep up with his children at the park.
Speaking through an interpreter in March 2024, Allahaddin said he is back at work and feeling great. He is “living in the now” and appreciating his health.
“This remarkable outcome underscores the potential for minimally invasive interventions to revolutionize the treatment landscape for congenital heart conditions, enhancing patient recovery and reducing the associated risks,” Aggarwal said.
