AICTS doctors perform rare dual-valve implant, removing need for repeat open-heart surgery

Doctors at the Army Institute of Cardio-Thoracic Sciences (AICTS) in Pune performed a rare catheter-based dual-valve implantation on a patient with severe tricuspid valve leakage.

The procedure, called bicaval transcatheter valve implantation (CAVI), involved implanting two prosthetic valves in the superior vena cava (SVC) and inferior vena cava (IVC) to prevent backward blood flow.

The patient had previously undergone heart valve replacement but developed severe tricuspid regurgitation, causing symptoms like leg swelling, liver congestion, fatigue, and breathlessness.

The minimally invasive approach eliminated the need for a repeat open-heart surgery, which carries a higher risk of complications.

The patient recovered successfully; AICTS said the procedure is currently performed at only a handful of specialized cardiac centres worldwide.