75-Year-Old Woman Receives New Mitral Valve Without Repeat Open-Heart Surgery
Lucknow, August 26, 2026: Doctors at Medanta Hospital successfully treated a 75-year-old woman suffering from a damaged mitral valve without performing repeat open-heart surgery. Using a catheter-based procedure, the medical team implanted a new valve inside the patient’s 15-year-old damaged prosthetic valve. The procedure was completed in approximately 45 minutes.
The patient had diabetes, a chest infection and a history of spending nearly 15 days in the ICU. Considering her age and overall health condition, undergoing another open-heart surgery could have posed significant risks.
Dr. P.K. Goel, Director, Interventional Cardiology, Medanta Hospital, said the patient had undergone mitral valve surgery approximately 15 years ago, during which a prosthetic valve was implanted. Over the years, the valve deteriorated and stopped functioning properly, resulting in breathing difficulties and increased pressure on the heart.
Considering the high risk associated with repeat open-heart surgery, the specialist team decided to perform Transcatheter Mitral Valve Replacement (TMVR). The procedure allows doctors to implant a new valve inside the existing damaged valve without removing the old one.
New Valve Delivered Through a Catheter
Dr. Goel explained that a thin catheter, approximately 5 millimetres in diameter, was inserted through a vein in the patient’s leg and guided towards the heart. Using echocardiography and X-ray imaging, the doctors carefully positioned the new valve inside the old prosthetic valve.
The entire procedure took around 45 minutes, and the patient required anaesthesia only for a short duration.
Significant Improvement After the Procedure
Following the procedure, the patient showed rapid clinical improvement. The fluid accumulated in her lungs and the pressure on her heart decreased, resulting in a marked improvement in her breathing.
The patient had been close to requiring ventilator support, but she is now breathing comfortably on her own and is reported to be in stable condition. She is expected to be discharged from the hospital soon.
Dr. Goel said that TMVR can be an important treatment option for patients who face a higher risk from repeat open-heart surgery. With careful patient selection, detailed evaluation and assessment by a multidisciplinary team of specialists, catheter-based procedures such as TMVR can provide an alternative approach to treating a damaged mitral valve without opening the chest.