Modern valve replacement surgery at Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital

Chennai: A valve replacement surgery that requires a chest bonecut was instead done with a small 4 cm cut on the right chest of a 30-year-old man by surgeons of the department of cardio thoracic surgery of the Rajiv Gandhi government general hospital.

Chief cardiothoracic surgeon, Dr K.S. Ganesan said, “The patient, Gopi from Kancheepuram, arrived at the hospital with complaints of breathlessness and chest pain in March. It was found that his mitral valve had hardened (calcified), and this prevented blood from moving forward through the valve. Valve replacement surgery was required.”

Since he was a painter and had to climb up and down the building and lift heavy weights, it was decided not to cut the chest bone, as this would not allow him to handle heavy weights, he said. Following this, a video thoracoscopy was used to see the images inside the heart. Meanwhile, the right lung was collapsed throughout the operation to do the surgery freely. Transoesophageal echocardiography was also used to view clear and detailed images of the heart valves.

A mechanical valve that costs around Rs 30,000 was fixed on him free of cost, said the surgeon.

For the surgery, the department purchased equipment costing Rs 25 lakh under the CM’s comprehensive health insurance scheme, he added. This surgery involves bloodless, no bone-cutting (sternum), no use of steel wire, he noted. The department had also performed this new method on two more persons, he said.

About valve replacement, head of the department, Dr Raja Venkatesh, said, “Valve problems arise from rheumatic fever which affects only the rural population due to poor sanitation and hygiene.”

Around 20 to 30 per cent of the people affected by the fever need valve replacement surgeries, he said.