26/11/2015
Rare Heart Surgery at RGGGH Saves 30-yr-old
CHENNAI: Gopi, a 30-year-old painter from Singaperumal Koil in Kancheepuram suffered breathlessness, chest pain and palpitation while at work. Diagnosed with calcified mitral valve stenosis, he was the first patient at the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital (RGGGH) to undergo a video-assisted trans-oesophageal echocardiography and minimal invasive surgery, where the mitral valve that lies between the left atrium and left ventricle in his heart was replaced.
Thanks to the Chief Minister’s Comprehensive Health Insurance Scheme, doctors were able to procure equipment required for the surgery at a cost of `35 lakh and perform the complex surgery that would have otherwise cost `7 lakh, for free.
Doctors said that instead of cutting the sternum or the central chest bone, they made a four centimetre incision in his right chest below the ni**le. After arresting the heart, the right lung was collapsed to leave the right chest cavity entirely free to perform the surgery.
The mitral valve was removed and an artificial valve costing about `29,000 was implanted using a video thoracoscopy. “The video assistance, inserted through the bronchus, magnifies the heart four times and is useful in accurately suturing the valve in the heart,” said Dr K S Ganesan, chief cardiothoracic surgeon, RGGGH.
Further, the whole procedure was monitored through the transoesophageal echocardiography, which is inserted through the food pipe, helping the anaesthetist monitor the suturing and check the accuracy.
“Usually for such heart surgeries, the sternum is cut to about 10-15 centimetres. In this case, keeping in mind that he is a painter, who is engaged in a lot of physical activity, the small incision was made, the ribs were lifted a bit and the surgery was performed,” doctors explained.
Dr Raja Venkatesh, HOD, Cardiothoracic Surgery explained that such mitral valve calcification or deposit of calcium occurred, if rheumatic fever at a young age was left untreated. “The fever affects the joints for some time and goes away, but it’ll continue to harm the heart. The only symptom is joint pain, but people ignore it. Two other patients have also undergone this procedure in our hospital and we do about 600 valve replacements here in a year,” he explained.
Gopi said he was suffering breathlessness during work and approached doctors. “Today, I feel much better. I can lead a normal life like others,” he said.