Team of doctors during surgery in the hospital.
Highlights
The 64-year-old woman was suffering from rheumatic heart disease for a long time. Mitral valve disease is often caused by rheumatic fever. The patient is now healthy and has been discharged from the hospital.
Bhopal. Heart repair surgery has started for patients suffering from heart valve related diseases at Bhopal Memorial Hospital and Research Center (BMHRC). Recently, doctors of the cardio-thoracic and vascular surgery department of the hospital repaired the heart valve of a 64-year-old gas-affected woman free of cost. The patient is now healthy and has been discharged from the hospital.
Dr. Giriraj Garg, Assistant Professor in the CTVS Department of BMHRC, said that this woman was suffering from a disease called rheumatic heart, due to which she used to have shortness of breath while walking. After examination in the hospital, it was found that the mitral valve in the woman’s heart had shrunk, due to which the flow of blood in the heart was being obstructed. This problem could be cured only through surgery.
After examining the heart valve during the operation, it was decided that repairing the valve instead of replacing it was a better option. He said that after valve replacement, the patient has to take blood thinning medicines for a long time, whereas in the valve repair process, the patient’s dependence on medicines is reduced, the risk of infection is reduced in the heart repair process and the patient does not have to come to the hospital again and again for treatment.
More experience and skills required
Dr. Garg said that valve repair is a more difficult task than valve replacement. It takes more time, and requires long experience and special skills to do it. This is why valve replacement surgeries are more common in hospitals than valve repairs.
Valve functions and causes of malfunction
There are four valves in our heart namely acoustic, mitral, pulmonary, and tricuspid valves. All these valves ensure the flow of blood in the right direction. Each valve has flaps that open and close with each heartbeat. If the valve flaps do not open or close properly, it is called valve malfunction. Valves get damaged due to infection, old age, heart attack or any heart disease. Mitral valve disease is often caused by rheumatic fever.
They say that
Valve repair surgeries are complex, and require special expertise. This surgery has started at BMHRC. This will benefit patients suffering from heart valve diseases.
-Dr. Manisha Shrivastava, Director in Charge, BMHRC Bhopal