The rarest, and most complex surgery done in SLG hospital

* Dr.Sudheer and team accomplish successfully

A 42-year-old woman has previously undergone heart surgery for the replacement of two valves. But she had structural valve deterioration (SVD) of both valves. SLG Hospital, one of the famous healthcare centers in Hyderabad took up this challenging case and made it successful. Consultant Cardiothoracic Surgeon Dr. G. Sudheer explained the details of the case.

“Manjula aged about 42 years, and who hails from Warangal area had a valve replacement surgery for both Mitral Valve and Aortic Valve some ten years ago. She had bioprosthetic valves at that time, and their life span is just 10 to 15 years only. But in this case, they got damaged within 10 years. She had breathlessness, heaviness in the heart, swelling in the legs and face, and some other health issues too. She is suffering from these problems for the last six months. So, now, she needed the replacement of both of the valves previously placed. Replacing the valves for the first time is quite normal. But, redoing the same is too complex. To replace a valve, the surgeon has to make some 12-15 sutures for each valve. So, in this case, there are more than 30 sutures in the heart. All of them have to be removed, and new mechanic valves have to be replaced with the old bioprosthetic valves. Again we have to make more than 30 sutures there in the same place. If a minute particle is left there at the time of suture removal, it may go to the brain through blood, and the patient may get paralysis. The particle may go to any other organ too through blood. In some cases, the patient may die on the table itself. As this is a very risky and complex case, some of the hospitals in Hyderabad denied to take up it. So then, she came to SLG Hospital. We have done meticulous tests and a marathon surgery, which went on for more than 10 hours. Both of her valves are replaced with mechanical ones. CT surgeon Dr. Sudheer, Cardiac Anaesthetist Dr. Manasa,  cardiologist Dr. Bhanu, and intensivist Dr. Srinivas participated in the surgery.

Difference between bioprosthetic and mechanical valves

The lifespan of the bioprosthetic valve is 15 to 25 years only. So usually patients who are 60+ are suggested to have this kind of valve. Patients don’t need to use anticoagulant medicines if they have these valves. Mechanical valves are different from these. Patients have to use anticoagulant medicines if they have these kinds of valves. They won’t require replacement in their lifetime. But, people who want to get pregnant in the future are not suggested to have mechanical valves. If they use anticoagulant medicines, the baby may have problems. And patients who suffer from cerebral hemorrhage also are not advised to have mechanical valves. But when one patient gets a bioprosthetic valve replaced, they have to undergo regular health checkups, and should be advised to check the valves from time to time” explained Dr. Sudheer.