Mangaluru: By performing the first of its kind Trans-catheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI) in coastal Karnataka, Mangaluru’s premier healthcare provider Indiana Hospital and Heart Institute Ltd in the city achieved yet another milestone in its meritorious journey.
TAVI is a new technologically advanced procedure in cardiology. Chief Interventional Cardiologist and managing director of Indiana Hospital Dr Yusuf Kumble told mediapersons here on Friday, December 6 that the patient was now healthy and will be discharged from the hospital on Saturday, December 7. “ Indiana Hospital is the first hospital to carry out this procedure in Coastal Karnataka, showing the way for others in the region to follow,” he said.
Informing about how this valve implantation was done with the assistance of other experts, Dr Kumble said, “ the procedure was performed last week on a 71-year-old patient, Samuel Daniel from Madikeri, who was advised an open heart surgery by a hospital for his heart condition. He approached Indiana Hospital for a second opinion. When the procedure, TAVI, was explained to Samuel and the members of his family, they agreed to it taking into account the patient’s fear of open surgery and high risks involved in it. Hence, our team took up the challenge and successfully implanted the new valve through TAVI, without using surgery or anaesthesia on the patient. This rare treatment was done when the patient was awake.”
“The cost of the valve, manufactured abroad is around Rs 25 lakh. But, India also manufactures similar valve which is as good as foreign valve and it costs Rs 12 lakh. We have implanted Indian valve on our patient,” Dr Kumble said and added that conventionally, open-heart surgery is performed for replacing the aortic valve for treating aortic stenosis. But a majority of the elderly patients are not fit enough to undergo open-heart surgery. This is where TAVO becomes a boon, as this is a minimally invasive procedure. The damaged valve is replaced by a new 26 mm valve through keyhole procedure using catheter, as done for an angiogram. The valve remains folded during insertion and opens up when warm blood flows through it. The procedure takes about two hours and the patient is taken out of the ICU in six hours’ time.
Informing about another advantage of TAVI, he said, “ If after ten years the valve degenerates, it can be replaced with a new valve. By incorporating this new technology, it has once again been confirmed that Indiana Hospital is in the vanguard in the field of cardiology and interventional procedure. Meanwhile, I appeal to the government of India to waive or reduce considerably the high GST levied on TAVI procedure so that the society in general benefits.”
The patient Samuel Daniel thanked the doctors’ team for giving a new lease of life through this rare treatment. “ I am quite well now and I have walked three rounds at the veranda of my ward with the doctor’s advice, “ he added.
Other doctors Dr Madan, Dr Suhaib and Dr Mansoor were present.
