indian implant news

City hospital powers a hearty tale

DH News Service, Bangalore:



Fifty four-year-old Venkatakrishniah became the first Asian to undergo an artificial heart implant at Narayana Hrudayalaya last month.

Asia’s first ever such surgery was a collaborative effort by a team from Narayana Hrudayalaya and University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, USA, where a mechanical heart pump device called Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD) was implanted in the end stage heart failure patient.

The Narayana Hrudayalaya surgery was the 221st such surgery done worldwide.

Artificial heart implants are increasingly preferred over heart transplants in the West where patients have to endure a long wait for donors and face the possible risk of rejections, Cardiovascular Thoracic Surgeon Dr Rajesh T R told a press conference here on Wednesday. The LVAD — Ventrassist manufactured by Ventracor, an Australian company — costs about Rs 34 lakh inclusive of customs duties. One has to foot a bill of Rs 40 lakh to Rs 45 lakh for the entire procedure which, however, was done free of cost for Venkatakrishniah.







New lease of life
A field engineer with KPTCL and father of three, Venkatakrishniah was the breadwinner of the family when he had to undergo a bypass surgery in 2003 following a massive heart attack. “My heart was so badly damaged that even after the operation I could not walk 20 steps or climb six steps which led me to take voluntary retirement. Now I can walk 400 steps without a break,” he said.

A diabetic, Venkata-krishniah said he feels “fantastic” and would like to work as he can’t be idle anymore.

According to Consultant Cardiologist, Narayana Hrudayalaya, Dr R Bhagirath, patients with heart failure not doing well despite maximum medical therapies will qualify for the cardiac assist devices implantation.

However as there is a cable that exits from the abdominal wall to the outside of the body, the patient’s family have to take great care and change dressing daily as there is a risk of infection.

There are already over a hundred patients waiting in line for this procedure, Narayana Hrudayalaya Chairman Dr Devi Shetty said.

There are many enquires for the same from the US and Europe as well as the costs there are very high.

He also announced that for patients who cannot afford the device, the surgeries will be done free of cost.