The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Bhopal has achieved a remarkable milestone by successfully performing the first-ever government-sector Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI) in Madhya Pradesh. This historic procedure was jointly performed by Dr. Bhushan Shah, Assistant Professor and In-charge of the Structural Heart Program at the Department of Cardiology and Dr. Yogesh Niwariya, Head of the Department of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery.
This achievement marks a significant advancement in providing advanced cardiac care to the economically disadvantaged and underserved sections of society.
TAVI is a minimally invasive heart valve replacement technique, serving as an alternative to open-heart surgery for high-risk patients.
It involves inserting a heart valve on a delivery system through the leg artery, which reaches the heart and deploys the new valve without the need for incisions, general anesthesia, or ventilators. As a result, patients can be discharged much earlier than with traditional heart surgery. The patient, a 70-year-old gentleman, had been experiencing severe breathlessness for 6 to 8 months due to a severely narrowed aortic valve that restricted blood flow.
He was deemed a high-risk candidate for traditional open-heart surgery because of his frailty and chronic obstructive lung disease (COPD). After a comprehensive evaluation, the specialized heart team opted for the TAVI procedure as the most suitable treatment. The procedure was performed by a multidisciplinary team consisting of cardiologists Dr. Bhushan Shah, Dr. Sudesh Prajapati, and Dr. Ashish Jain; cardiothoracic and vascular surgeons Dr. Yogesh Niwariya and Dr. Vikram Watti; and anesthesiologists Dr. Vaishali Waindeskar, Dr. Harish Kumar, and Dr. SRAN Bhushanam Padala.
The successful completion of the TAVI procedure was further supported by the dedicated efforts of Cath lab technicians and nursing staff. The patient is now in stable condition and is planned for an early discharge.
Speaking on this landmark achievement AIIMS Bhopal ED Prof (Dr.) Ajai Singh said, "Performing the first government-sector TAVI in Madhya Pradesh is a testament to our commitment to providing cutting-edge medical care to those who need it the most. Our focus remains on integrating advanced technologies to offer affordable and accessible healthcare to all. I congratulate our dedicated team for their outstanding contribution to this remarkable achievement." This successful TAVI procedure establishes AIIMS Bhopal as a frontrunner in interventional cardiology, further reinforcing its commitment to offering world-class cardiac care. It also serves as a beacon of hope for patients who might otherwise lack access to life-saving medical interventions.
