The Kovai Medical Centre and Hospital (KMCH) recently implanted a ‘Venibri Valve’ in the heart of a 76-year-old patient from Coimbatore recently.

Briefing media persons here on Thursday, Nalla G. Palanisamy, KMCH Chairman, said the treatment that was done only in the United States, that too to less than eight persons so far, by importing material from China. A team from the Chinese company that manufactured the valve was also present during the surgery that was performed on February 10.

The patient O.P. Narayanasamy, a retired Superintendent with India Posts, was having calcium sediments in his heart valve that needed to be replaced. “The patient had already had a by-pass surgery and the condition was not welcoming another surgery with cuts. So we explained about this new treatment,” said Dr. Thomas Alexander, Consultant Interventional Cardiologist at KMCH, who performed the surgery.

The valve, made of Bovine Pericardium, was bought from China.

“We inserted the 29 mm valve through a small incision in the thigh. Though the actual size of the valve is bigger, it was inserted through a smaller hole as it was a pre-crimped, pre-packaged dry tissue. It regained its actual size once it was precisely fitted,” said Dr. Prashant Vaijayanath, Director of Cardiac Surgery at the hospital.

He further added that the surgery cannot be done to younger patients as the incision could not allow the valve.

“This can be done only for older patients, for whom a normal valve replacement surgery cannot be done,” he informed.

The patient, Narayanasamy, was discharged on February 14.

The surgery cost was less than Rs. 10 lakh.