NE HEALTH BUREAU
AHMEDABAD, JULY 7
In the first of its case in India, doctors at HCG Hospitals successfully conducted the complex triple valve replacement surgery using a minimally invasive technique or MIS under the Central government’s Ayushman Bharat scheme for the poor patients. The specialists replaced three valves of the heart with mechanical valves of a woman, 61, suffering from severe narrowing of the mitral, aortic valve, and tricuspid valve disease of the heart. This was accomplished by Dr Brajmohan Singh, Dr Jay Shah, Dr Ajay Rathod and the team of doctors who shared the details with media here, the medical capital of the country, on Thursday.
- This medical feat was accomplished by Dr Brajmohan Singh, Dr Jay Shah, Dr Ajay Rathod and the team of doctors in the medical capital of the country – Ahmedabad
- Ayushman Bharat — the Modi government’s flagship health insurance scheme — a boon for poor patients: Dr Brajmohan Singh
- Under Ayushman Bharat, formally known as the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana, the treatment is free as it provides the poor with an annual insurance cover of Rs 5 lakh.
The patient, Lalithaben Patel from Narshipura village in Kadi Taluka of Mehsana district, arrived at the hospital, presenting dyspnoea (difficult or laboured breathing) accompanied by exertion and palpitation. On examining her past history, it was observed that Lalithaben never had any heart-related issues or surgeries in the past. On conducting 2D echocardiography it suggested severe Mitral stenosis (narrowing of the mitral valve), Severe Aortic stenosis (narrowing of valve), organic tricuspid valve disease with severe Tricuspid valve regurgitation and severe pulmonary artery hypertension and ECG showed arterial fibrillation with controlled ventricular rate. Usually, patients suffering from stenosis of the heart, gradually lose weight, but Lalithaben’s case was unique as she had lost a massive amount of weight due to the condition and she only weighed 32 kgs when she arrived at the HCG Hospitals, the doctors said.
The surgical procedure proved complicated considering major risk factors that Lalithaben was 61 years old, and she weighed only 32 kgs. Patients with Organic Tricuspid disease of regurgitation arerare, and this led tothe replacement of all the three major valves of the heart. Considering these possible risk factors and complications, Dr Brajmohan Singh and his team decided to operate on the patient for Triple valve replacement through a minimally invasive technique. Owing to the patient’s condition, open heart surgery could have proved fatal and led to more complications and pain. On the other hand, minimally invasive surgery, can mobilize the patient at an early stage and it also minimizes post-operative morbidity, thus reducing the risk of mortality.
Commenting on the case, Dr Brajmohan Singh, Director- Department of Cardiac Surgery, HCG Group of Hospitals Gujarat said, “For the very first time, we have replaced mechanical metal valves, replacing all the three major valves of the heart. It is a very rare scenario to witness tricuspid valve being damaged. Usually, the operation is conducted by making a large opening near the sternum to replace the valves of the heart but in Lalithaben’s case, this was not possible. Minimally invasive surgery was conducted to replace the infected valves with mechanical metal valves to avoid morbidity and this was a successful one. I would like to thank and congratulate my entire team for making this happen.”
Ayushman Bharat — the govt’s flagship health insurance scheme
Speaking with navjeevanexpress.com, Dr Brajmohan Singh said, cardiac treatment has topped the list of high-end medical procedures that most beneficiaries of Ayushman Bharat — the Modi government’s flagship health insurance scheme — have undergone. Under this scheme, poor vulnerable families can access ‘high-end’ tertiary healthcare at empanelled hospitals like us. The heart treatment procedures are costly — ranging from anywhere between Rs 3 lakh and Rs 10 lakh. Under Ayushman Bharat, formally known as the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana, the treatment is free as it provides the poor with an annual insurance cover of Rs 5 lakh. The entire cost of the treatment was covered under Ayushman Bharat scheme. Now, she has to pay only for medicines after five follow-up visits.
Dr Jay Shah, Interventional Cardiologist, HCG Hospitals, Ahmedabad said, “Lalitaben was initially examined for breathing issues and palpitations and was later diagnosed with multiple valve disease. She was suffering from mitral, aortic stenosis and organic tricuspid valve disease. Post optimal medical management and considering the patient’s age and low body weight she was referred to Dr Brajmohan for surgical interventions. Post her MICAS with Triple valve replacement surgery she recovered well with good prosthetic valve function and is now under close follow up”.
Dr Ajay Rathod, Anaesthesiologist, HCG Hospitals, Ahmedabad said, “Lalitaben was kept in the ventilator 24 hours before the surgery which lasted three hours. Post surgery she was kept in the hospital for six days for observation and then discharged about 45 days ago.”
Speaking at the occasion, Birsingh Chaudhari, Chief Operating Officer,HCG Hospitals Ahmedabad said, “HCG has constantly been at the forefront of providing the latest and best treatment outcomes for the patients.I would like to congratulate the entire team involved for accomplishing this complex Surgery. My special regards are to our team of cardiologists, who have played a pivotal role in the success of this surgery, post the procedure cardiologists also continuously monitored the condition of the heart, through various high-end machines. The healthcare industry is constantly evolving, and HCG is transforming to adapt and implement the latest equipment and inventive surgical procedures to suit the required needs. We have outlined our clinical expertise by performing this first-of-its-kind surgery in India.”
Thanking the doctors, Lalitaben said, “This condition created a lot of health issuesand I had lost all hopes. Dr. Brajmohan Singh, Dr. Jay Shah and the team of doctors at HCG renewed my faith through this surgery. I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to all the doctors of HCG Hospitals for reviving me back from the brink of this illness.”
