Kauvery Kathaigal : 1
Heart Beats on the High Seas
Patient: Young man serving the Global Merchant Navy.
Diagnosis: Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome revealed on ECG.
Patient's Story
The young man has been serving the Global Merchant Navy for quite a few years. A recent Master Health Checkup, advised in view of his gaining quite some weight and a high BMI, revealed on the ECG an abnormality called “Wolff- Parkinson- White syndrome”. This can provoke a “tachy cardia”, a very fast run of heart beats that can be alarming and can lead to cardiac emergencies. On a ship that is somewhere on the high seas, with no land anywhere nearby, a “run” of tachycardia is a frightening prospect. This is also called “Pre Excitation” because an accessory tract is present in the heart that the heart’s electrical impulses can take to electrically “excite” the heart before it is ready. Fortunately for him, he was referred to us. He underwent an electrophysiological evaluation of the heart and received a radio frequency ablation of the “rogue” accessory tract.
Outcome
That restored his ECG to normal. But the Exercise Stress Test done before the ablation did not look satisfactory. So, before he returns to the high seas this “stress test” would be repeated.
Conclusion
We have reassured his mother that we shall ensure that her globe-sailing son would be safe on international waters.
