Sourav Ganguly 'doing well', to be discharged from hospital on Wednesday

Sourav Ganguly will be discharged from Kolkata's Woodlands Hospital, where he was admitted after complaining of chest pain and discomfort on January 2, on Wednesday.

Hospital spokespersons have confirmed that blockage in his coronary arteries were found, for which he underwent "stenting of the right coronary artery", and that the former India captain and present BCCI president was "doing well". After being discharged, Ganguly would be on oral medication and would be "monitored by doctors and nurses on a daily basis at home".

"Sourav Ganguly is doing well as clinically expected by all of us," Dr Rupali Basu, MD and CEO of the hospital, told reporters in Kolkata on Tuesday. "He slept well, he had his breakfast, he spoke to us and he's seen by his team of doctors. Dr Devi Shetty (renowned cardiac surgeon) is here and he has not only spent time with Sourav, but also with the team of doctors physically today.

"We reconfirm the consensus decision from the very experienced medical board with 13 members and two expert opinions - total 15 doctors from abroad and India - that we have decided that Sourav will be discharged from the hospital tomorrow, January 6th, 2021. He will be on oral medications and will be monitored by doctors and nurses on a daily basis at home. Sourav will of course be ready for the next course of procedures or medical interventions after about two to three weeks."

Dr Basu also said that Ganguly had no known comorbidities, but a family history of heart diseases, and that he had tested negative for Covid-19.

Addressing the media contingent outside the hospital, Dr Shetty said, "Sourav didn't have any major problem. This is the problem which most Indians experience at some point of their times, that is blockage in the coronary artery.

"Did he have a heart damage? No. He had a blockage and he was getting some discomfort, but at the right time he landed in the right hospital and he had the right treatment. His heart is today as strong as it was when Sourav was 20 years old. I want everyone to understand that he didn't have a major cardiac event which has damaged his heart. He has a very, very strong heart."

Ganguly was taken to the hospital on Saturday morning after he complained of "chest pain, chest discomfort, heaviness of head, vomiting and a spell of dizziness while doing his physical exercise at home," Dr Basu elaborated. The doctors later learnt Ganguly had suffered a heart attack but, being an athlete for the best part of his life, he had "only tiny blockage" in his arteries.

"Sourav had blockage in tiny, isolated area of the coronary artery, which is a long pipe," Dr Shetty explained. "Most of the people who drink like fish and smoke like chimneys, they develop blockage in the whole length of the artery. Sourav had only three tiny areas of critical blockage and once it is dealt with, his heart is going to be as normal as anybody else's. This is the advantage of exercising and not indulging in any of the vices and leading a very, very so-called healthy life."

Dr Shetty added that Ganguly would require an angioplasty after two weeks or so, but the decision on that was left to him. "Will this event have any impact on his life for the future? Certainly not. Sourav, with the right care he has received so far and the care he is going to receive in the future, is going to lead a normal life like anybody else. This event should not affect his lifestyle or the life span.

"The consensus among all the doctors is that he had an angioplasty, he should go home and get back to work. Sourav can get back to work from home as soon as he reaches home. At some point of time in the future he may require an angioplasty which is like a routine angioplasty done in most hospitals of the country. It is nothing very complicated or life-threatening.

"Medically speaking, we believe it's a good idea for him to go for an angioplasty. That decision we have left it to him. We thought at least two weeks he has to wait then he can take a call."