A terrified grandmother whose burst artery collected two litres of blood inside her chest was rescued after hospital staff performed a new surgery for the first time to save her.
76-year-old Sheila Shaw was rushed to the emergency department at Northwick Park Hospital after sudden severe pain in her body left her unable to walk.
The grandmother of three from Kenton was looked at by NHS staff before the investigation found her aorta, the main artery of the body, had burst, collecting blood in her chest.
Sheila's husband Alan, had feared the worst when they were told the news.
He said: "The whole family were at the hospital and things were so bad we feared she would not survive."
But Consultant Vascular and Endovascular Surgeon Professor Martin Malina recommended Sheila for a new type of procedure never performed at Northwick Park.
Professor Malina said: "Sheila was very poorly and it is fair to say that most patients in her condition would not have survived.
"We had to act quickly and we used a type of keyhole surgery, known as endovascular surgery to repair the aorta without the need to open the chest.
"This type of surgery is less invasive than open surgery.
"We make small cuts in the patient’s groin and a graft, made of metal mesh lined with fabric, is guided up through the leg artery, into the damaged aorta.
"This graft replaces the burst aorta and stops the bleeding."
Five months on from when Sheila was first whisked into hospital in September, she praises the staff at London North West Healthcare NHS Trust who she says saved her life.
She said: "I feel good. I get tired now and again, but I pace myself and try to get on with it.
"I am very grateful to Professor Malina and all the staff at Northwick Park Hospital who looked after me – they saved my life.
"It is an excellent place to come and I wouldn't think about going anywhere else – the treatment I received was excellent."
It was the first time endovascular surgery had been used to repair a burst aorta at Northwick Park Hospital and the new procedure has seen improved survival rates, according to the Trust.
Professor Malina said: "Endovascular surgery brings many benefits over open surgery traditionally used in these types of cases.
"It is less traumatic and recovery time is less. Many patients can also undergo treatment under local anaesthetic."
Northwick Park Hospital said: "We are now leading the way in creating an integrated centre of excellence for vascular surgery and interventional radiology.
"The West London Vascular and Interventional Centre brings together different healthcare professionals ‘under one roof’ in order to treat vascular disease in new and pioneering ways."
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