Doctors at a private hospital in Hyderabad have successfully performed a sophisticated yet short duration heart valve implant on a 74-year-old woman suffering from severe aortic valve stenosis.

The procedure was performed five days ago by Saratchandra, Senior Consultant Cardiologist at Virinchi Hospital. He used the novel Hydra Aortic Valve. The patient has recovered well and has since been discharged, the doctor said. The Aortic Valve has the critical function of letting blood flow from heart to other parts of the body. Hydra Aortic Valve, the indigenously developed heart valve, has multiple benefits and was recently approved for patient usage. The device is flexible, hence can seamlessly track along tortuous and stiff vessels, especially in the aged.

Trans Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR), which uses this implant, is usually performed on aged patients whose arteries are rigid and tortuous and flexibility assumes great significance. The implant is retractable, a salient feature, considering the opportunity to appropriately redeploy in instances of less than ideal placement. According to doctors, it is priced at half the imported devices are available and will be a great relief for Indian patients, who struggle to meet the high medical costs.

The device is gaining tremendous popularity abroad too due to its advanced technology and cost advantage. It has already been given the CE mark and is being used in European countries. "This new device is both medical fraternity and patients friendly, has several advanced features making it the prime option for TAVR. Being Indian made and less expensive are amongst the innumerable advantages it presents," said Saratchandra.

The patient with a prior history of heart attack four months ago. She underwent an emergency angioplasty at Virinchi Hospital and recovered well from it. However, she was also diagnosed as having Aortic valve stenosis due to severe narrowing of the valve, with corresponding symptoms and was advised to undergo TAVR procedure, 3 months later. "This is a critical heart condition in which one of the main valves of the heart that helps maintain the unidirectional flow of the blood to the body, becomes stiff and hampers functioning in full capacity. If left untreated this condition can result in recurrent loss of consciousness, heart failure, stroke and sudden death," the doctor said.

The procedure was planned and done by a team led by Dr Saratchandra and included Interventional Cardiologists Deepak Saha and Summet Sinha, Avinash Dal, Cardiac Surgeon and Muralidhar Joshi, HOD (Anesthesia), along with the entire heart team of the hospital.