Media Release 

Mangaluru, Nov 4: In a major milestone in cardiac care, Indiana Hospital and Heart Institute, Mangaluru, has successfully performed coastal Karnataka’s first motorised Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI) procedure on a 78-year-old man. The procedure was carried out by a team of doctors led by renowned interventional cardiologist Dr Yusuf Kumble. 

The patient was admitted with heart failure and severe oxygen desaturation. On evaluation, he was found to have a completely degenerated aortic valve and was considered at very high risk for conventional open-heart surgery.  Notably, he had undergone open-heart surgery 15 years ago, which made repeat surgery (redo cardiac surgery) particularly risky given his advanced age and previous CABG.  For such high-risk patients, TAVI/TAVR is the ideal treatment of choice, as it allows the diseased aortic valve to be replaced without reopening the chest.  

Indiana Hospital introduced TAVI in Mangaluru in 2019 and has successfully completed seven years of this advanced programme, with a reported zero per cent procedural mortality.  The latest procedure marks another significant advancement, as it is the first motorised TAVI valve implantation in coastal Karnataka. Says Dr Yusuf Kumble, “Unlike conventional systems that require manual deployment, the motorised valve uses an electronically controlled mechanism. Once the valve is accurately positioned at the aortic valve site, it can be released through a controlled switch, potentially reducing manual handling and the possibility of human error.” 

The successful outcome underscores the growing role of advanced catheter-based interventions in treating complex cardiac conditions, particularly among elderly patients and those at increased surgical risk. 

This achievement represents a major leap forward in interventional cardiology and reinforces Indiana Hospital’s commitment to bringing the latest cardiac technologies to patients in Coastal Karnataka and beyond.