A man has spoken of his gratitude after a new procedure at a Worcester hospital saved his life.

Christopher Pretty suffered a massive pulmonary embolism and was rushed to Worcestershire Royal Hospital.

After all other medical treatments for the life-threatening condition failed, Dr Rahul Chivate performed the hospital's first-ever mechanical pulmonary thrombectomy, saving Mr Pretty's life.

Mr Pretty suddenly found he couldn't breathe one morning, and his wife called an ambulance.

At the hospital, he was stabilised in the A&E department and admitted to the intensive care unit, where he was diagnosed with a pulmonary embolism.

The interventional radiology team tried to remove the blood clots from Mr Pretty's lungs.

However, when the typical method of thrombolysis - a drug treatment used to dissolve dangerous blood clots - was not clearing his embolism, consultant interventional radiologist, Dr Chivate, and consultant anaesthetist, Dr Shiju Mathew, realised a mechanical pulmonary thrombectomy would be the only way to save Mr Pretty's life.

In a mechanical pulmonary thrombectomy, a thin tube is inserted into a large vein and guided through the heart to the blood clot to remove it.

The aim is to rapidly remove the blockage and restore blood flow as quickly as possible to reduce strain on the heart.

After eight hours of removing his blood clot, improving his circulation, and stabilising Mr Pretty, he was returned to the intensive care unit to recover.

Dr Chivate said: "Christopher had a very big pulmonary embolism extending from his main pulmonary artery into both his right and left main arteries, causing a blockage of blood to the lungs.

"We tried thrombolysis, but his pulmonary embolism did not respond to this form of treatment.

"The only treatment that could save his life in this case was a mechanical pulmonary thrombectomy."

Just four days after his pulmonary embolism, Mr Pretty was discharged from hospital and was fit enough to recover at home.

He said: "I have had five-star treatment at Worcestershire Royal Hospital, and their professional staff have saved my life.

"I will be eternally grateful."

A new pulmonary embolism response team will be formed at the hospital, which will help improve the response to patients suffering pulmonary embolisms.