KOCHI: He will no longer have to suffer breathlessness and mental depression. A 73-year-old man diagnosed with severe heart disease undergoes bicaval valve implantation at Rajagiri Hospital, Aluva. About two years ago, the man arrived at the hospital with issues of severe breathlessness, swelling of the body and weight gain of about 30 kilograms. He was diagnosed with severe tricuspid valve regurgitation, a condition in which the valve between two right heart chambers does not close properly. This disease causes a backward flow of blood leading to congestion of liver and neck vessels.
Though he was treated medically, he continued to be resistant to treatment and had repeated hospital admission. He was referred to cardiovascular and thoracic surgery for corrective treatment. According to doctors, during the waiting period, the patient presented with significant blood loss from the gastrointestinal tract due to liver congestion for which the patient underwent clipping treatment.
In view of multiple comorbidities, the surgery was deferred by Rajagiri cardiac science department head Dr Ramdas Nayak. Following the family’s consent, bicaval valve implantation was performed last week.
In this procedure, valves are implanted in two major vessels leading to the right side of the heart through a vein in the thigh with the help of a catheter, thereby preventing the backward flow of blood from the heart. According to the hospital authorities, this is the first time such a surgery is done in the state.
The procedure took about one hour to complete and the patient got discharged on Saturday with great relief in his symptoms. Dr Nayak along with Dr Jacob George, Dr Suresh Davis, Dr Sandeep R, cardiac surgeon Dr George Valooran, cardiac anesthesiologist Dr Mary Smitha and Dr Dipin were part of the procedure.