National Heart Center’s TAVI service attracts patients

Kathmandu / Dec 21: With Shahid Gangalal National Heart Centre launching the transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) service, the number of people going abroad for the service has fallen.

The service was not available in Nepal until the Centre launched it. The Centre’s Director Dr Chandramani Adhikari said so far they have provided the service to six patients. The Hams Hospital also reported one case of successful valve replacement.

The first implantation case which was a success encouraged other patients to seek the service within the country. The center recorded the first ever case of valve implantation in the country last March.

It costs Rs 2.5 to 3.8 million for aortic valve replacement in Nepal while the cost is Rs 6 million to Rs 8 million in India.

The Centre is preparing to replace the valve on one patient within this year.

As Dr Adhikari said, a couple of patients would visit India for the service in a month, but at present the patients prefer to visit the Centre instead of India.

Approximately 12 patients went to neighboring India annually to get an artificial heart valve. The figure has reduced to one patient after the Center started providing the service, Dr Adhikari said.

An artificial heart valve is fitted when aortic stenosis occurs due to various reasons. The patient can feel relief soon as the artificial valve works immediately. The patient can faint and report chest pain and dizziness when the aortic valve shrinks. The artificial valve replacement in elderly people is risky due to complications, he said. The Center brings artificial heart valves from foreign countries including India and the Netherlands. RSS