Bastrop resident Fulton Smith says he’s lucky to be alive. He credits Dr. David Kessler and Dr. Mazin Foteh for their quick thinking, innovative treatments and for respecting his religious beliefs to not have a blood transfusion during his emergency procedures.
Fulton initially suffered a cardiac arrest and it was later discovered that the culprit was a ruptured aneurysm in his thoracic aorta.
Typical treatment for this involves invasive, open-heart surgery, which could also require a blood transfusion. Dr. Foteh got innovative and used a graft and a laser catheter to create a stent within a stent that literally repaired Smith’s aorta without ever making an incision. The entire procedure took less than an hour.
“I was up the next day. Unbelievable. I asked the nurse ‘when’s my surgery?’ She said, ‘You’re in recovery’”, Smith told KXAN.
We’re so happy that Fulton is back to loving what he loves most – spending time with his family and friends.
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