Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Narayana Superspeciality Hospital, Katra challenges Medical Textbooks, Saves Life in Rare High-Risk Midnight Brain Surgery

KATRA: In a remarkable medical achievement, doctors at Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Narayana Superspeciality Hospital, Katra successfully performed a rare and extremely high-risk midnight brain surgery on a 75-year-old patient, saving a life that was rapidly deteriorating.

The patient was admitted with pulmonary thromboembolism, a life-threatening condition requiring clot-dissolving medicines (thrombolytics). During treatment, the patient suddenly developed a massive brain hemorrhage, creating a critical medical paradox — the same medicines needed to treat the lungs had significantly increased the risk of bleeding during brain surgery.

Dr. Khushwant Singh, Consultant Neurosurgery, explained, “that the patient developed a large brain bleed while on strong clot-dissolving medication. In such situations, surgery is usually avoided due to the risk of uncontrollable bleeding. However, the patient’s condition was deteriorating rapidly, leaving us with no option but to proceed with emergency surgery.”

The surgery began around midnight and continued for nearly seven hours. Despite the high risk, the team successfully removed the clot, relieved pressure on the brain and controlled the bleeding.

Dr. Summit Dev, Consultant Neurocritical Care, said, “that operating during active thrombolysis carries a very high risk, but timely intervention was the only viable option. The success reflects strong teamwork and clinical coordination.”

Following surgery, the patient received intensive care in the Neurocritical Care Unit and showed steady recovery, leading to discharge on the twentieth day. Dr. Yashpal Sharma, Executive Director, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Excellence, said the case reflects the vision of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board in strengthening advanced healthcare in the region.

“The Shrine Board has consistently focused on building robust healthcare infrastructure and bringing advanced medical care closer to people, ensuring timely and life-saving treatment within the region.”

The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board continues to play a key role in developing state-of-the-art healthcare facilities, enabling access to super-speciality care and improving patient outcomes across Jammu & Kashmir.

Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Narayana Superspeciality Hospital, Katra remains a leading tertiary care centre with advanced infrastructure and round-the-clock emergency services, capable of handling complex and high-risk cases.