Kathmandu, May 5th 2023:
Recent advancements in cardiac sciences have significantly improved the prognosis for patients with various forms of cardiac ailments, providing them with a new lease of life. With the introduction of minimally invasive interventions, open-heart procedures are no longer the only option for patients. These innovative scientific approaches are not only revolutionizing treatment outcomes but also significantly improving the quality of life for patients, even in the most complex cases.
The latest advancements are also helpful in determining the functional significance in some complicated situations which otherwise would be seemingly borderline, such advanced procedures not only helps in treating the patients effectively, but also improves their quality of life.
While various heart ailments annually account for at least 50% of the overall comorbidities and even premature deaths, it is shocking to know that there is a rise in number of people in the age bracket of 25-40 years being susceptible. It is estimated that one in every four death is attributed to ignorance of the mild symptoms and is one of the leading causes of mortality among both males and females (between 25-35 years).
Advancements in intervention cardiology have greatly improved treatment outcomes, making survival possible with swift and appropriate medical care.
Dr Balbir Singh, Chairman, Cardiac Sciences (Pan Max), Max Super Speciality Hospital, Saket, said, “Cryoablation of the heart is one such recent advancements which is very effective in cases of heart rhythm disorders. Being a minimally invasive procedure, surgeons make use of a thin flexible tube (balloon catheter) to locate and freeze the heart tissues (in a controlled fashion to temperatures as low as minus 80 degrees) that triggers irregular heartbeat, in order to restore normal heart rhythm. Being a completely safe procedure, the chances to impact the healthy tissues and surrounding structures is nil, and various studies have found this procedure to be significantly more effective than medications.”
Valvular heart complications are another life-threatening complication, where valve replacement remains the last resort. However, with recent advancements, catheter-based procedures of Mitra clip can help in repairing the leaking heart valves without surgery. Such cases, if left untreated can lead to enlarged heart, breathlessness and even heart failures. Till now, open heart surgery with repair or replacement of the valve had been the only possible treatment for such patients in India but it is often high risk and may not be beneficial.
Dr Balbir Singh, added, “The MitraClip is a novel catheter based non-surgical repair of the mitral valve inside the heart. It is performed in a Cath Lab like angioplasty where special catheters are inserted through the large vein in the groin and the catheter is passed from the right chamber of the heart to the left chamber of the heart by puncturing the partition called interatrial septum. Then under echocardiography and X-ray guidance a clip is put on the leaking mitral valve to decrease the leak which improves the condition of patient. The patient is normally ready to be discharged in 24-48 hours’ time.”
Other innovations in intervention cardiology are Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) and Mitral valve in valve procedures.
Dr Singh, said, “TAVR is a minimally invasive procedure used to replace a damaged aortic valve with a new artificial valve. This procedure is typically recommended for patients who are at high risk for traditional open-heart surgery due to their age, medical history, or other health conditions.”
Similarly, Mitral valve in valve (MViV) is a minimally invasive surgical technique that is used to treat a leaking or failing mitral valve without the need for open-heart surgery. It involves inserting a new valve inside the malfunctioning mitral valve to improve its function and restore normal blood flow.
The MViV procedure is performed using a catheter-based approach, and it can often be performed under conscious sedation, rather than general anaesthesia. This technique is especially useful for patients who are at high risk for open-heart surgery or have already undergone one or more surgical interventions in the past.
Dr Singh, concluded, “Advancements in intervention cardiology have revolutionised the treatment of cardiovascular diseases and have provided patients with new and improved treatment options that can help them live longer and healthier lives.”
ABOUT MAX HEALTHCARE:
Max Healthcare Institute Limited (MHIL) is one of India’s largest hospital chains (considering only income from healthcare services) in fiscal 2022. It is committed to the highest standards of medical and service excellence, patient care, and scientific and medical education.
MHIL has a major concentration in North India consisting of a Network of 17 healthcare facilities. Out of the total Network, eight hospitals and four medical centres are located in Delhi and the NCR, and the others are located in the cities of Mumbai, Mohali, Bathinda, and Dehradun. The Max Network includes all the hospitals and medical centres owned and operated by the Company and its subsidiaries, partner healthcare facilities, and managed healthcare facilities. These include state-of-the-art tertiary and quaternary care hospitals at Saket, Patparganj, Vaishali, Rajendra Place, and Shalimar Bagh in Delhi NCR and one each in Mumbai, Mohali, Bathinda, and Dehradun, secondary care
hospital in Gurgaon and Day Care Centres at Noida, Lajpat Nagar and Panchsheel Park in Delhi NCR and one in Mohali, Punjab. The hospitals in Mohali and Bathinda are under a PPP arrangement with the Government of Punjab.
In addition to its core hospital business, MHIL has two SBUs – Max@Home and MaxLab. Max@Home is a platform that provides health and wellness services at home and MaxLab offers diagnostic services to patients outside its Network.
For more information, please contact:
[email protected] / +91-9811566975