JAMMU: Dr Nikhil Mahajan along with his team successfully performed TAVR in a very sick heart patient at Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Narayana Hospital, Kakryal in Katra. The patient was admitted to the hospital with reduced heart functioning, severe valve disease and was having symptoms of heart failure, shortness of breath, and fatigue. However, he has fully recovered after performance of the surgery. Explaining the disease, Dr Nikhil Mahajan said, “Aortic valve stenosis – or aortic stenosis – is a type of heart valve disease (valvular heart disease). The valve between the lower left heart chamber and the body’s main artery (aorta) is narrowed and doesn’t open fully. This reduces or blocks blood flow from the heart to the aorta and to the rest of the body”. He further added that “In 40 percent of such patients, the pumping capacity of the heart is also lost leading to more severe symptoms and low survival”. Enlightening about the treatment, Dr Nikhil said, “TAVI is a common, mostly painless procedure. A narrow flexible tube (called a catheter) is put into a blood vessel in your upper leg or chest and is passed towards your aortic valve in your heart. The tube is used to fix a replacement valve over the top of your old one. So it is a better alternative to open heart surgery”. M M Mathawan, Facility Director at Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Narayana Super Speciality Hospital, said that one of the rarest of the rare surgeries has been performed at our hospital and it is now a myth that people have to travel to Metro cities in India to avail world class treatment. He said SMVDNH is equipped with state of the art medical equipments and well qualified expert doctors to deal with any kind of medical emergency. SMVDNSH Katra has emerged as a preferred tertiary healthcare centre in North India, he added.
