100-Year-Old Patient Undergoes Successful High-Risk Catheterization in Galilee
A 100-year-old lucid and independent Galilee resident successfully underwent a complex, high-risk cardiac catheterization using advanced technology at the Galilee Medical Center.
A 100-year-old resident of the Galilee, who recently celebrated his centennial birthday, was admitted to the Galilee Medical Center last week suffering from chest pain. Medical tests revealed that he had suffered a heart attack. Due to his advanced age and the risks associated with invasive procedures, doctors initially decided to treat him conservatively. However, the chest pain persisted.
"He is 100 years old, but he is completely lucid, reads books, and lives independently at home," said Dr. Haitham Sholy, head of the catheterization unit (interventional cardiology) at the Galilee Medical Center. "At such an age, no procedure is easy, and the risk is certainly higher than in younger patients. Therefore, we initially did not want to perform a catheterization. But he continued to suffer throughout his hospitalization, and given his excellent functional state, that pushed us to try and help him."
A Complex Medical Challenge
On the second day of hospitalization, doctors decided to perform a diagnostic catheterization. The findings were exceptionally complex: the right coronary artery was chronically blocked, while the main left artery—which supplies blood to the heart—showed a narrowing of over 90%, alongside severe calcification. The two main branches splitting from it were also narrowed.
Dr. Sholy explained that the blocked right artery made the situation even more dangerous. Over time, the heart had developed natural bypasses—blood vessels originating from the left side that supplied blood to the area normally served by the right artery. However, the left system, upon which the blood supply now relied, was also almost completely blocked.
"This was an extreme case. The right side is blocked, and the left side has severe, highly calcified narrowings, including at the branching area, all of this in a 100-year-old patient," Dr. Sholy noted.
While open-heart surgery might be considered for younger patients, it was not a practical option due to the patient's age. The medical team consulted with the patient and his son, outlining the risks and options before deciding to proceed with a high-risk catheterization.
Advanced Technology to Clear the Blockage
A major hurdle was the hard calcium layer accumulated in the artery walls, which can prevent balloons from expanding and stents from being placed. To overcome this, the team used a technology called Rotational Atherectomy, utilizing a device known as a Rotablator.
"You can think of it as a tiny drill," Dr. Sholy explained. "It crumbles and reduces the calcium so that we can then pass balloons, expand the artery, and implant stents." Following the calcium treatment, the team successfully opened the narrowings and treated both branches without complications. Forty-eight hours later, the patient was discharged home, completely free of chest pain and in good condition.
