A 36-year old female patient with Severe Right heart failure, Secondary liver and kidney issues underwent the first-ever TPVR procedure in the western Tamil Nadu region done at Sri Ramakrishna Hospital, Coimbatore recently, and now has safely got discharged.

The patient had a congenital heart disease where she had a hole in her heart and a block in her pulmonary valve. She underwent an open heart surgery at the age of 3, through which the hole in her heart was closed and the block in her pulmonary valve was released.

However, she later developed a pulmonary valve leak which progressively worsened over years and she encountered severe right heart failure while she was 35. She sought treatment at several hospitals before setting admitted to Sri Ramakrishna Hospitals.

The doctors belonging to the Department of Paediatric Cardiology and Adult with Congenital Heart Disease and Paediatric Cardiac Surgery at Sri Ramakrishna Hospitals found that she was also suffering Secondary liver and Kidney dysfunction.

Since she already has had one open-heart surgery in the past, a redosurgery becomes a very challenging procedure for her and unfit with co-morbidities.

Under the care of Dr. Devaprasath.S and his team, the patient underwent the first-ever TPVR procedure in the western Tamil Nadu region on 24.03.2023. Despite the procedure being complicated by an interrupted inferior vena cava (IVC), the team successfully inserted a prosthetic valve into the patients heart through the right neck vein (superior vena cava).

After a successful recovery period, the patient was discharged on the 6^th Post OP day. Her liver and kidney problems have recovered, and her heart failure is under control with medications.

Dr. Vijay Sadasivam, Head of Paediatric Cardiac Surgery, Sri Ramakrishna Hospital and his team provided the required surgical assistance. Cardiac Anaesthetist Dr. Menon, Dr. Manikandan, provided assistance for Intraoperative care, and the Cardiac cathlab staff and CCU staff rendered their support for taking care of the patient. They all were instrumental in ensuring the success of the procedure, the hospital said.

Besides being less traumatic, the transcutaneously implanted pulmonary valve has a life similar to a surgically-placed valve. The short and long term outcomes of the valve are similar to ones placed surgically. Her liver and kidney problems are decreasing, and her heart failure is under control with medications.

Transcatheter Pulmonary Valve Replacement (TPVR), first performed by Bonhoeffer etal in 2000, is an approved treatment for severe pulmonary regurgitation/stenosis and right ventricle-pulmonary artery (RV-PA) conduit failure

TPVR offers a minimally invasive alternative to open-heart surgery for patients suffering from pulmonary valve leak. The success of this procedure at Sri Ramakrishna Hospitals is a testament to the expertise and dedication of the cardiac care team.

Press release through News Voir