Waking up with lower back pain just days before Christmas, 17-year-old Levi never imagined he’d spend the next 10 days in the Intensive Care Unit with a life-threatening aortic dissection.
For Levi’s dad, Kevin, a critical care nurse with a career’s worth of experience, the idea of his son suffering from such a rare heart condition, typically afflicting men in their 70s, didn’t cross his mind when trying to diagnose his son’s pain.
“When your healthy 17-year-old son comes to you with back pain you don’t think that he’s dissecting,” explains Kevin. “So, I didn’t listen to his chest, I thought he’d pulled a muscle mowing the lawns and told him to take a couple of Panadol.”
As Levi’s pain intensified to the point where he couldn’t walk or stand without the help of his mum, Sonia, they made the decision to head to Rosebud Hospital’s Emergency Department, where Levi was seen by Peninsula Health Senior Emergency Physician, Dr Darsim Haji.
“Darsim came in with the nurse and asked to have a look at Levi’s chest with the ultrasound machine,” explains Sonia. “After having a look, almost immediately he said Levi potentially had a very rare heart condition.”
Dr Haji’s worst-case scenario was then confirmed with a CT scan; Levi undoubtedly had an aortic dissection.
“An aortic dissection is a life-threatening condition and if it had not been diagnosed, Levi may have died,” says Dr Haji.
The condition occurs when there is a tear in the innermost wall of the body’s largest artery, the aorta. The layers of the wall come apart and blood surges in between, which can cause the aorta to burst or stopping blood flow to vital organs in the body.
“The mortality rate of these patients goes up 10% every hour, so time is extremely critical,” explains Dr Haji. “The bedside ultrasound machine in this case led to a fast diagnosis and fast treatment plan which ultimately saved his life.”
Based on Dr Haji’s quick intervention and diagnosis, Levi was able to be transported to the Royal Melbourne Hospital where his condition was stabilised.
Now, following the placement of an aortic stent in early 2024 and ongoing rehabilitation, Levi is on the path to recovery and is actively working towards getting back to the things he loves, such as going to the gym, spending time with friends, and pursuing his goal of becoming an electrician.
Using ultrasound as a primary diagnostic tool is becoming a standard practice for clinicians, enabling more individuals like Levi to receive life-saving care. With its capability to scan nearly every organ in the body, ultrasound has become a crucial method for accurately collecting non-invasive data quickly, ultimately saving more time and more lives.
Support our Emergency Departments to purchase additional life-saving ultrasound machines by donating to our Tax Appeal.