Mysore/Mysuru: The Heart Team of Narayana Multispeciality Hospital, Mysuru, has added another feather to its illustrious medical achievements by successfully performing Transcatheter Mitral Valve Replacement (TMVR), one of the most advanced cardiac treatment modalities. The team had performed the treatment on a 70-year-old patient suffering bio prosthetic valve degeneration (natural history of bio prosthetic valve).

In the case of VM (Name changed), who hails from Mumbai, her mitral valve which was replaced due to severe mitral valve stenosis  and regurgitation in 2007 (15 years ago) by Dr. M.N. Ravi. Presently she had started showing signs of valve degeneration and visited Dr. M.N. Ravi for review. Ideally she needed repeat valve replacement since she was breathless and had fatigue. However, as Mrs. VM was 70 years of age and very frail, doctors felt doing another open-heart procedure would be of high risk. However, the team advised TMVR.

The procedure was performed by the team of doctors lead by senior Interventional Cardiologist Dr. V. Keshavamurthy and senior heart surgeon Dr. M.N. Ravi who have pioneering experience in this type of interventional procedures in this region. They are ably supported by other heart team mates Dr. Anand Lingan, Dr. P. Srinivas, Dr. Sudarshan. The procedure lasted for an hour. And she was taken out of ventilator in next one hour and she could communicate with her dear ones in next 2 hours.

Elaborating about the case of Mrs. VM, Dr. Ravi, Chief of Cardiac Surgery and Clinical Director, Narayana Multispeciality Hospital, said: “Mrs. VM’s advancing age and extreme frailty made us offer the family the option of less invasive procedure. With the expertise of the heart team with us we suggested TMVR. It is a ray of hope for patients like Mrs. VM who are sick, elderly, and frail with multiple comorbidities and are of high risk for open heart surgery.”

“TMVR is minimally invasive which means less possibilities of blood loss or scars and shorter hospital,” added Dr. Keshava Murthy, Senior Interventional Cardiologist of the Hospital.

As part of the procedure a catheter mounted crimped biological valve is passed through the groin into the heart (right atrium) and a puncture is made in the inter atrial septum, then the valve is passed across the previous artificial valve and implantation and a balloon expansion of the valve prosthesis is done.

TMVR performed at Narayana Multispeciality Hospital and the Heart Valve Clinic not only stand as examples of clinical excellence, they also provide a hope to those suffering from complex heart conditions in non-metros in and around Mysuru Region.