Apollo Hospital Chennai has performed India’s first successful Mitral and Tricuspid Transcatheter Edge-to-Edge Repair (TEER) on a 59-year-old woman with severe heart failure. This significant achievement offers new hope to high-risk heart failure patients in India, showcasing TEER as a viable alternative to traditional surgery.
The patient had previously undergone a heart procedure in 2021 in Thirunelvelli. Despite initial success, she developed severe symptoms, including difficulty breathing and leg swelling, due to issues with two of her heart valves. These complications made managing her heart failure profusely challenging.
Upon her admission to Apollo Hospitals, doctors found that her heart was not pumping effectively and that both her mitral and tricuspid valves were leaking. Despite receiving medications and supportive care, her condition did not improve, prompting the medical team to consider a more advanced treatment option.
Dr. Sai Satish, Senior Consultant in Interventional Cardiology at Apollo Hospitals Chennai, led the team in choosing the TEER procedure. This minimally invasive approach was selected because traditional surgery posed too high a risk. After discussing the procedure’s risks and benefits with the patient and her family, they proceeded with TEER, simultaneously for both the valves.
During the procedure, a tiny clip was inserted into the heart via a catheter to repair the leaking valves, avoiding the need for open-heart surgery. The procedure was successful, and the patient experienced significant improvement in her symptoms and overall health. This success story builds trust and hope among patients facing similar high-risk cardiac conditions.
Dr. Sai Satish, Clinical Lead Transcatheter Heart Valve Therapies for Apollo Group remarked, “This innovative procedure highlights the exceptional synergy of medical advancement, Apollo’s state-of-the-art capabilities, and the expertise of our dedicated doctors. The dual valve repair, a first in India, reflects our team’s ability to handle complex cases and improve patient outcomes. The patient’s smooth recovery and symptom relief demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach, offering new options for those with challenging heart conditions.”
TEER, or Transcatheter Edge-to-Edge Repair, is a modern, minimally invasive technique used to treat conditions like mitral regurgitation, where the heart’s mitral valve does not close properly, causing blood to leak backward. The procedure involves threading a catheter with a small clip to the valve to help it close more fully, improving blood flow and reducing symptoms.
Compared to traditional open-heart surgery, TEER offers numerous benefits, including a shorter recovery time, less pain, and fewer complications. This makes it particularly beneficial for patients considered too high-risk for conventional surgery. For this patient, TEER not only treated her condition but also allowed her to regain her quality of life.
The simultaneous repair of both mitral and tricuspid valves using TEER is exceptionally rare and was a first in India. Dr. Sai Satish and his team adapted a device designed for the mitral valve to also repair the tricuspid valve, demonstrating their innovative and skilled approach to complex cases. Apollo Hospitals is leading the Indian healthcare industry, setting new standards as the nation’s largest healthcare provider.
This case underscores Apollo Hospitals’ leadership in Indian healthcare, highlighting our commitment to medical innovation and exceptional patient care. By pioneering advanced treatments, we are transforming options for patients with severe conditions, offering hope and significantly improved outcomes.
