Remarkable Recovery From Brain Tumor Treatment Ensures Resolution of Uncommon Heart Ailment
Headline: Rare Heart Tumor Successfully Treated at University of Rochester Medical Center
Jamie Arliss' life was saved by a groundbreaking treatment at the University of Rochester Medical Center. The 48-year-old patient was diagnosed with an arterio-venous malformation (AVM) in her heart, a condition so rare that there was no information available about how to treat it.
The tumor was discovered by accident during an EKG test at a medical practice near her hometown. Cardiothoracic surgeon H. Todd Massey was concerned about removing the tumor surgically due to the risk of damaging too much heart muscle.
A neurosurgeon suggested treating the tumor like it was a brain tumor, leading to the use of a liquid embolization technique. This innovative approach involved injecting a glue-like substance, Onyx, directly into the tumor to stop its growth.
Neurosurgeon Babak Jahromi temporarily moved his clinical suite into the cardiac catheterization center, allowing cardiologists to observe his techniques for treating brain disorders, including AVMs. Jahromi regularly treats cerebral AVMs using a catheter and Onyx.
For Arliss' treatment, the Onyx was coated with metal flakes to allow doctors to track its flow and see if it reached the target location. The heart tumor required 10 times the amount of Onyx than normally used in the brain.
Jahromi, assisted by cardiologist Cove, performed the liquid embolization technique on Arliss' heart tumor using Onyx. The now-dead tumor is shrinking, and the Onyx filled the space where the tumor was, with no additional activity detected at the site.
The now-dead tumor will no longer draw blood from Arliss' heart, reducing the strain on her organ. The tumor will remain in her heart for the rest of her life, but it will not impair her heart function. Doctors continue to monitor Arliss' recovery and heart function closely.
This case study is not documented or publicly available online, suggesting that it is a unique and groundbreaking medical achievement. While more research is needed to determine the long-term effects of this treatment, it offers hope for patients with similar conditions in the future.
The innovative liquid embolization technique, commonly used for brain disorders, was successfully adapted to treat a heart tumor in a patient by neurologist Babak Jahromi and cardiologist Cove at the University of Rochester Medical Center. This groundbreaking treatment, involving the use of Onyx and metal flakes to treat a rare arterio-venous malformation (AVM), offers hope for patients with similar medical-conditions, particularly in the area of health-and-wellness and cardiovascular-health.
