Revolutionary Techniques Offer Hope for Patients with Severe Heart Valve Issues

Traditionally, open-heart surgery is used to repair or replace heart valves. This means that a large incision is made in the chest and the heart stopped for a time so that the surgeon can repair or replace the valve(s). Newer, less invasive techniques have been developed to replace or repair heart valves. Minimally invasive procedures make smaller incisions, and mean less pain afterward and shorter hospital stays.

Speaking about the traditional surgical procedure, Dr. Rakesh P Gopal told our correspondent, “Valve replacement without open surgery so far surgical replacement by opening chest wall and opening heart was the only option for calcified severely narrowed Aortic valve. Necessarily it was associated with blood loss, infection, kidney issues and long hospital stay and recovery time. Those patients who have comorbidities like lung disease, long standing diabetes, kidney disease, frailty and poor functional capacity faired very badly with surgical replacement of Aortic valve.

Elaborating about the modern surgical procedure Dr. Gopal said “Times have changed. Now we can implant valve without having to open up chest and heart with very short hospital stay and recovery time. It can be done through a needle puncture in the groin and valve implantation can be done through the aorta retrograde. This is a real leap in science and technology. Especially beneficial for those patients who can’t withstand surgery.”

Dr. Gopal added, “It is not just aortic valve that can be implanted without surgery. Mitral valve can be similarly replaced when patient has had surgery with a bio prosthetic valve earlier. Even native valves can be treated with minimally invasive procedures. Certain mitral valve leakages associated with cardiac pumping impairment can be helped by Mitra clip procedures. We can replace pulmonary valve, so also tricuspid valve leakages that are severe can be managed without surgery. Technology is taking us hitherto uncharted areas.”

Dr. Rakesh P Gopal is an Interventional Cardiologist with nearly 22+ years of experience. He is an influential member of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow, American College of Cardiology, European Society of Cardiology, American Heart Association, Cardiological Society of India and Asia Pacific Society for Interventional Cardiology. He has done outstanding work in Interventions for Valvular Heart Disease, Mitral, Aortic, Pulmonary Balloon Valvotomies, and Trans Aortic Valve replacement. He is a Senior Consultant Interventional Cardiologist attached to Apollo Speciality Hospitals, Chennai and heads the first ever Onco Cardiology Center in the Asia Pacific region at Apollo Speciality Hospital. He has been checking patients in Silchar for more than a year now and has a deep understanding of the regional medical issues too.