Doctor seeks govt’s help for brain aneurysm surgery

KARACHI: A doctor suffering from aneurysm seeks help from federal and provincial governments for treatment from the world’s only spAecialised hospital in United States of America (USA).

Dr Sardar Rathore, 39, is an anesthesiologist at Civil Hospital Karachi, and he was diagnosed with a Giant Vertebro-Basilar Junction Aneurysm in August 2015.

Since expertise and treatment facilities of this disease are not available in Pakistan, Sardar was transported to Saint Luke’s hospital in Houston, USA, for endovascular treatment.

Though initially his condition improved, yet within a month he developed complications and faced paralysis of the whole body.

In November 2015, Sardar went through a rescue endovascular procedure at the same hospital in Houston. He
survived with residual weakness in the
whole body.

He was shifted back to Pakistan in March 2016 but since then his condition continued deteriorating with expanding aneurysm and consequent weakness.

“The amount of $250,000 is required for his treatment which is beyond our limits because we have already spent all our money,” said Dr Jawahar Rana Rathore, elder brother of Dr Sardar.

He added that further choices of treatment are not available in Pakistan but only at the University of California and San Francisco Medical Center, which is quite prohibitively expensive.

Aga Khan Hospital stated in its recent report “With the latest angiography in August 2016 at AKUH, it was established that the Aneurysm continues to expand and would surely be fatal [for Sardar] unless successfully intervened.

“Further choices of treatment were discussed with interventionist radiologist and Neurosurgeon. Both agreed for surgical clipping of Aneurysm and may need vascular bypass surgery. Since these facilities are not available at AKUH so the patient is referred abroad for further care.”

He appealed to the Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Chairman Pakistan Peoples Party Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Governor Sindh, Chief Minister Sindh, business tycoon Malik Riaz and civil society to help save Dr Sardar’s life.