SRN Hospital Doctors Save Three Lives with Heart Procedures Without Open Surgery

Prayagraj: A team of young cardiologists at Swaroop Rani Nehru (SRN) Hospital in Prayagraj has successfully treated three patients with critical heart conditions, all without performing open-heart surgery. The minimally invasive procedures are being hailed as a significant achievement in the region’s medical field.

The team, led by Dr. Vimal Nishad, Dr. Vaibhav Srivastava, and Dr. Rishika Patel, managed to provide new life to patients despite limited resources. Dr. V.K. Pandey, Principal of Motilal Nehru Medical College, confirmed that all three patients are now stable and under medical observation.

The first case involved a 58-year-old patient from Koraon, who suffered from bladder outlet obstruction and had a 32 mm atrial septal defect in the heart. Due to the high cardiac risk, surgeons had initially hesitated to operate. Using a 40 mm device in the cath lab, the team successfully closed the defect, allowing for safe bladder surgery within three months.

The second patient, a 25-year-old man from Jari village, was admitted during a fair (Kalpwas) in a heart-failure state. He had been struggling with breathlessness and irregular heartbeat for three years, mistakenly treated for tuberculosis. Investigations revealed severe mitral stenosis, a narrowing of the heart’s left valve. The doctors performed a balloon mitral valvotomy, free of charge, resulting in rapid improvement in his condition.

The third patient, a 52-year-old woman from Phulpur, had a 31 mm heart defect causing right-heart failure and liver congestion. Using a 38 mm device inserted via the right femoral vein, doctors successfully closed the defect. She is now stable, with expected improvement in heart and liver function over the next 3–6 months.

All three cases were complex, but the SRN team achieved success using percutaneous intervention techniques, sparing patients from major surgery and its associated risks.