Minimally invasive heart surgery saves lives of elderly

CHENNAI: Doctors at Apollo Hospital, performed back-to-back minimally invasive heart procedures to plug leaks in a heart valve, with a clip on four elderly patients suffering from severe heart failure on the same day.

On Tuesday, doctors at the hospital showcased how the lives of four elderly patients who were not fit for open heart surgery, were improved after the procedure. Speaking to the press, Dr Sai Satish, senior interventional cardiologist, Apollo Hospitals said a device called ‘Mitraclip’ was used to repair leaking mitral valve in the heart in these patients without open heart surgery.

It is a lifesaver for patients at high surgical risk and the oldest patient among the four, an 87-year-old, went home walking within three days of the procedure, he said.  Dr Prathap C Reddy, chairman, Apollo Hospitals Group said the procedure offers patients a second lease of life. Suneeta Reddy, MD, Apollo Group, and Preetha Reddy, VC of the Group, also praised the surgery.