20/02/2026
Kolkata : A 56-year-old lady from Diamond Harbour was successfully treated for a rare and potentially serious heart condition known as Coronary Artery Fistula (CAF), an anomaly seen in only about 0.02% of the general population. The expert team led by Dr Kaushik Mukherjee, Consultant Cardiothoracic Surgeon, Manipal Hospital Dhakuria completed the surgery in 2.5 hours.
The patient, a home maker , experienced breathing difficulties during normal household work with sudden palpitation and chest pain. Routine ECG and ECHO doppler failed to establish a diagnosis. A detailed heart scan (CT coronary angiography) of Mrs Geeta (name changed) followed by a specialized angiogram showed a rare and complicated problem. The patient had two abnormal connections from her coronary arteries. One was coming from the left main coronary artery of the heart and draining into the main Pulmonary Artery going to her lungs. The second was from a small branch from the right coronary artery. also connecting to the lung artery. Because of these extra, abnormal connections, blood was not flowing in the normal way. This made the heart work harder, reduced its pumping strength, and led to worsening symptoms.
While many patients remain asymptomatic early in life, nearly 50% develop symptoms in adulthood. The condition can lead to reduced blood supply to the heart muscle, a phenomenon known as coronary steal syndrome causing breathlessness, chest pain, unstable angina, and in rare cases, heart attack.
Dr Kaushik Mukherjee, Consultant Cardiothoracic Surgeon, explained, “ Mrs Geeta came to the hospital accompanied by her only son . Both of them were very anxious and frightened about her health condition. Our team counselled her and took immediate steps to resolve her condition. We closed the abnormal connection using a small patch made from the patient’s own natural heart covering ( pericardium). We also safely tied off the small artery branch from right coronary artery to stop the unwanted blood flow. She was out of artificial ventilation in on the same day after surgery.”
Her recovery was uneventful and she went home just four days later and is expected to live a normal, healthy life without extra heart risk.
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Dr. Kaushik Mukherjee
Dr. Kaushik Mukherjee is the chief Consultant cardiac surgeon and head of the department of cardiac surgery in Manipal hospitals ,Dhakuria in Kolkata.
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Dr. Kaushik Mukherjee
Mch Cardiothoracic & Vascular Surgery
MS (PGIMER, Chandigrah)
MBBS (Kolkata)
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Manipal hospital, Dhakuria, Kolkata.
Call for Appointment: 091630 74726
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Medica Superspecialty Hospital
Call for Appointment: 6290 458 470
Every Thursday (9am-2pm) other days by appointment
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https://drkaushikmukherjee.com/