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Shams Lakhdhir

 

From Crisis to Recovery With Comprehensive Care at Broward Health

On August 12, 2023, Fort Lauderdale resident Shams Lakhdhir embarked on his routine run along A1A, a path he often followed for his mid-day weekend workouts. Little did he know that this run would mark a pivotal moment in his life. The 52-year-old lost consciousness and collapsed from cardiac arrest, a condition stemming from multi-vessel coronary artery disease.

Bystanders and vigilant beach lifeguards swiftly intervened, initiating life-saving CPR measures until members of Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue Station 13 arrived and took over resuscitation measures. Lakhdhir was transported to Broward Health Medical Center in critical condition.

“My wife was traveling for work, and I didn’t have any emergency contact info on my phone,” said Lakhdhir. “I was admitted as a John Doe because I did not have an ID on me.”

When the father of two didn’t return home, his son became concerned and filed a missing person's report with the Fort Lauderdale Police Department. Shortly after, the family received a call from Broward Health Medical Center informing them that they had a patient matching the description from the missing person's report.

Meanwhile, in the Emergency Department, the team sprang into action to save Lakhdhir. They stabilized him and transported him to the cardiac catheterization lab. “I found Shams had a fully blocked artery and another partially blocked artery,” Kathir S. Subramanian, M.D., interventional cardiologist said. “I initially put in two stents in his main artery.”

Lakhdhir was admitted to the Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit (CVICU), where he unfortunately suffered another cardiac arrest.

Despite being previously asymptomatic, Lakhdhir had a genetic predisposition to heart issues. His father had a heart attack in his late 40s, and his grandfather on his mother’s side died of a heart attack.

“I felt nothing out of the ordinary that day, but I recalled having some issues cooling myself down after a run a few weeks prior, but it really wasn’t something I had felt concerned about at the time,” Lakhdhir said.

Lakhdhir’s wife recalls her husband being badly bruised; he had bitten his tongue, so it was severely cut. "It was a critical night when the team decided to proceed with the Impella procedure the following morning."

An Impella device is a mechanical assist device utilized to help improve the heart function and offset some of the work of a damaged heart to provide blood flow to the rest of the body. During his stay at Broward Health Medical Center, Lakhdhir underwent a series of medical interventions because he went into multi-organ system failure.

"Because Shams had multiple cardiac arrests, most of his vital organ functions were severely damaged,” said Stanley Linder, D.O., critical care medicine intensivist at Broward Health Medical Center.

“He required continuous 24-hour dialysis to replace his kidney function, a ventilator for his respiratory failure, pressors, and a mechanical assist device for his heart failure, and liver failure from his shock state.”

Due to the severity of his condition, his colon was also affected, and Lakhdhir underwent surgery to remove waste from his body through an opening in the small bowel because his colon was not functioning properly. He also had his gall bladder removed and eventually required a tracheostomy and PEG tube for longer-term ventilation and feeding.

“I finally opened my eyes 11 days later,” Lakhdhir said. "My body had shut down completely. At some point, I thought I was going to die."

Lakhdhir spent five weeks at Broward Health Medical Center, where he received extensive treatment. Throughout this difficult period, he and his wife witnessed the dedication and compassion of the medical staff firsthand. They are immensely grateful for the caregivers who went above and beyond to save his life. He concluded his journey at Broward Health North, where he underwent four weeks of comprehensive rehabilitation. During this phase, therapists provided guidance, striking a balance between patience and encouragement.

“With so much time in the hospital, my body had atrophied, but thanks to the amazing and unwavering support of my team of physical and occupational therapists at Broward Health North, I progressed from being wheelchair-bound to using a cane,” Lakhdhir said.

Today, Lakhdhir continues his journey to recovery with outpatient therapy, and he no longer requires the use of a ventilator. He has been supported by his family and the healthcare professionals who have played vital roles in his rehabilitation. He extends special appreciation to all the physicians, nurses, and compassionate therapists who guided him through each milestone.

Lakhdhir navigates life's challenges with newfound strength and gratitude with his wife and two children by his side. An individual dies every 33 seconds in the U.S. from cardiovascular disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

To learn more about Cardiovascular Services at Broward Health, click below.

Cardiovascular Services