Nagpur: The cardiology department of Super Specialty Hospital and Government Medical College and Hospital (
GMCH) has found an alternative to open heart surgery (OHS). The alternative is not only less expensive, but also has zero risk of mortality, requires less recovery time, and needs merely an hour-and-a-half to perform the procedure. This is the first of a kind procedure performed in Central India, claimed associate professor of cardiology at SSH Dr PP Deshmukh.
The department had received a 22-year-old female patient with a history of anaemia and heart failure, caused due to a leak from the lower chamber of her heart to the upper chamber, beside an artificially implanted wall. The patient had a mitral valve replacement surgery 10 years back, and had developed a hole beside her replaced valve. “A hole develops generally due to separation of stitches in valve, or by infection,” said Deshmukh.
While an open heart surgery, which comes with a 50 per cent chance of mortality, is the option chosen by most cardiologists in such cases, doctors at SSH chose to plug the hole through a small device inserted through the skin.
This 6mm device was inserted in the patient’s body from the groin area (area between the abdomen and upper thigh), through a small tube called catheter. The device, resembling a button, is called an occluder device, which blocks the hole in the wall of a heart.
This procedure, which requires accuracy and precision, was done free of cost for the patient under Jyotiba Phule Jan Arogya Yojana Scheme. Otherwise, the procedure costs Rs70 lakh, as opposed to Rs1.5 lakh required for open heart surgery in government hospitals. The patient can be on his feet from the next day itself, whereas he would require at least 15 days to recover after an open heart surgery, with risks of infections, and complications arising from the surgery.
Dr KG Jayaprasanna, cardiac surgeon at Wockhardt Hospital, confirmed that this kind of surgery is rare and a unique way to treat a leak in the heart.
Due to the success achieved in the procedure, doctors at SSH will make more use of the technique, said Deshmukh. He was assisted by Dr Sandeep Chourasiya, Dr Ahlesh Tiwari, Dr Mahendra Maske and Dr Bhavesh Talavia. Head of the department Dr Mukund Deshpande and associate professor Dr Sunil Washimkar gave inputs during the procedure.
HOW IT WAS DONE
Step 1: Patient’s groin was made sterile, and artery punctured in angiography room
Step 2: Small tube (catheter) with device inserted in vein, which goes through right side of the heart
Step 3: The device is guided from right atrium to left atrium
Step 4: Once device enters the left ventricle, the device is placed in position to plug the leak
