New Delhi, August 17, 2026: Doctors at Fortis Escorts Hospital, Okhla, have achieved a rare medical milestone by successfully treating a 64-year-old man who was suffering from three potentially life-threatening conditions — a torn and enlarged aorta, severe aortic valve leakage and cancer in the left kidney — during a single operative procedure and hospital stay.
According to the hospital, the complex multi-specialty intervention represents a world-first case in which major open-heart surgery and robot-assisted kidney cancer surgery were performed together, based on available medical literature.
The challenging procedure was led by Dr. Shiv Kumar Choudhary, Executive Director, Adult Cardio Thoracic & Vascular Surgery, along with Dr. Milind Padmakar Hote, Director, Adult Cardio Thoracic & Vascular Surgery; Dr. Pankaj Panwar, Additional Director, Urology; and Dr. Ashish Jai Kishan, Senior Consultant, Cardiology, Fortis Escorts Hospital, Okhla.
The patient had initially presented with severe breathlessness and extreme fatigue even during routine daily activities. Detailed investigations revealed a complex combination of serious medical conditions — a dangerous tear and swelling in the aorta, the body’s main artery; a severely leaking aortic valve; and an incidentally detected cancerous tumour in the left kidney.
Doctors said delaying treatment for any of the three conditions could have resulted in serious complications. The damaged aorta was at risk of rupture, while the leaking valve was placing increasing stress on the heart. At the same time, delaying treatment for the kidney tumour carried the risk of cancer progression.
Under normal circumstances, such high-risk procedures would be performed separately, allowing the patient time to recover between surgeries. However, in this case, the medical team determined that waiting between procedures could increase the patient’s overall risk. The team therefore planned a coordinated approach to address all three conditions during the same operative session.
The cardiac team first performed complex open-heart surgery to repair the diseased aorta and replace the damaged aortic valve. To treat the extensive aortic disease, the surgeons used the Frozen Elephant Trunk (FET) technique, an advanced procedure that combines surgical replacement of the damaged portion of the aorta with deployment of a stent graft into the descending aorta.
Following completion of the cardiac procedure and stabilization of the patient, the urology team performed robot-assisted partial nephrectomy to remove the cancerous kidney tumour while preserving as much healthy kidney tissue as possible.
Dr. Shiv Kumar Choudhary said the procedure presented significant technical challenges because the team had to protect the patient’s vital organs during complex aortic surgery. He said controlled lowering of the patient’s body temperature and specialized circulation techniques were used to maintain blood flow to the brain and other organs. The Frozen Elephant Trunk technique enabled the team to address the damaged aorta in a single stage, avoiding the need for another major aortic operation.
Dr. Milind Padmakar Hote said the presence of the potentially fatal aortic tear made the patient’s condition particularly challenging. According to him, close coordination between the cardiac and urology teams was critical. Once the cardiac repair was completed, the patient was stabilized and the urology team proceeded with tumour removal under the same anaesthetic cycle.
Dr. Pankaj Panwar said robot-assisted surgery provided enhanced visualization and precision, allowing the team to remove the kidney tumour while preserving healthy renal tissue. The minimally invasive approach also helped reduce blood loss and surgical stress, which was particularly important following the patient’s major cardiac surgery.
Following the combined procedure, the patient showed improvement in his breathing and overall cardiac function. He subsequently had a smooth post-operative recovery and was discharged in stable condition. He is currently reported to be doing well.
Dr. Vikram Agarwal, Vice President and Facility Director, Fortis Escorts Hospital, Okhla, said the case demonstrates the importance of multidisciplinary collaboration in managing highly complex medical conditions. He said bringing cardiothoracic surgeons, cardiologists, urologists and critical care specialists together enabled the hospital to provide a coordinated treatment strategy for a patient facing multiple life-threatening conditions.
The hospital stated that performing complex open-heart aortic and valve surgery along with robot-assisted kidney cancer surgery in the same operative setting is a rare medical achievement and, based on available medical literature, has not previously been reported as a combined procedure.
About Fortis Healthcare Limited
Fortis Healthcare Limited is an integrated healthcare delivery service provider in India, with operations across hospitals, diagnostics and day-care specialty facilities. The company currently operates 36 healthcare facilities, including joint ventures and operations and management facilities, across 12 states and union territories. Its network comprises more than 6,150 operational beds and over 400 diagnostic laboratories.
About IHH Healthcare
IHH Healthcare is a multinational healthcare provider focused on delivering integrated healthcare services through medical excellence, innovation and patient-centric care. The group operates healthcare businesses across multiple markets and continues to invest in advanced medical technologies and specialist healthcare services.
