T’puram: Doctors at Govt Medical College Hospital, Thiruvananthapuram, have successfully treated a leak near an artificial heart valve in a 55-year-old woman using a minimally invasive, catheter-based procedure, avoiding the need for another open-heart surgery.The procedure was performed jointly by the departments of cardiology, anaesthesiology and cardiothoracic surgery. The patient’s condition is stable, and she is expected to be discharged soon, according to a statement issued by the health minister’s office on Friday.The woman had previously undergone surgery for severe heart disease, during which her mitral and aortic valves were replaced with artificial metallic valves. A new leak developed near the mitral valve, a complication that would ordinarily require a complex operation involving reopening the chest.Considering the risks and complications associated with another open-heart surgery, the medical team opted for an advanced catheter-based intervention. Doctors inserted a thin catheter through the femoral vein in the leg and guided it into the heart to reach the site of the leak. A specialised plug was then used to seal the opening.The procedure helped avoid reopening the chest and eliminated the need for the large surgical incision and stitches associated with conventional surgery. It also helped reduce the risk of postoperative complications and discomfort.Dr Mathew Aype, head of the cardiology department, said closing a leak in a patient with two artificial heart valves was technically challenging and relatively rare.Health minister K Muraleedharan congratulated the medical team and said such advances at govt medical colleges, which serve as a major source of healthcare for ordinary people, would further strengthen Kerala’s healthcare sector.The cardiology team included Dr Laiz Mohammed, Bijesh S, Lakshmi Thampi, R Baiju, Krishnakumar, Suresh Madhavan, Aarathi and Shruthi. Dr Shobha, Dr Arunkumar and Dr Mirza Moosa represented the anaesthesiology department, while Dr Ravikumar and Dr Ratheesh were part of the cardiothoracic surgery team.Cardiac technologists Prajeesh, Kishore, Aseem and Amal, along with cardiology nurses Reena, Anita, Anu and Susan, also participated in the procedure.The treatment was completed under the coordination of medical college principal Dr Ranju Ravindran and hospital superintendent Dr Jayachandran.
