NIMS treats heart patient without surgery

Hyderabad: The doctors at Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS) treated a patient with a rare heart condition without open-heart surgery, by implanting a pulmonary valve that guides blood from the right ventricle of the heart to the pulmonary artery.

Led by Dr O. Sai Satish, senior professor of cardiology, the NIMS team performed treatment on Banoth Ashok, a 20-year-old student from Mahbubabad district. They used a 35 mm pulmonary valve – the largest of its kind implanted in India – to restore proper blood flow.

Ashok had been battling severe breathlessness and palpitations caused by tetralogy of fallot (TOF), a congenital heart condition. Although he had undergone heart surgery at 5 years of age, the valve had deteriorated, resulting in blood leaking back into his heart.

Over the past four years, his symptoms worsened, causing fainting spells and pain. When private hospitals estimated the procedure would cost between `25 lakh and `35 lakh, his family sought help from NIMS, where the doctors opted for a transcatheter valve replacement, which avoids open-heart surgery and shortens recovery time. The complex three-hour procedure went smoothly.

The total cost was ₹15 lakh, with the Telangana government funding a major portion, while Ashok's family contributed ₹5 lakh.