In a groundbreaking cardiac procedure, doctors at a Gurgaon hospital successfully performed a non-surgical double valve repair on a 79-year-old woman suffering from advanced heart failure — a feat rarely achieved globally.
Praveen Kumari, weighing just 45 kg, had been repeatedly hospitalized despite being on multiple heart medications. Her condition had deteriorated due to severe leakage in both her mitral and tricuspid valves and a critically weak heart pumping function, leaving conventional surgery too risky.
Led by Dr. Rajneesh Kapoor, Chairman of Interventional Cardiology at Medanta Hospital, the medical team opted for a catheter-based valve clipping procedure to repair both valves simultaneously. The approach used the MitraClip device for the mitral valve and tricuspid clipping for the tricuspid valve — all in a single, minimally invasive session.
“This was a unique case since both valves were severely leaking, and open-heart surgery was not possible,” Dr. Kapoor explained. “We carefully planned and executed the dual clipping to reduce the leakages and stabilize her heart.”
The results were remarkable. Since the procedure, Praveen has not required any hospitalizations for heart failure — a sharp contrast to her monthly admissions earlier. Her energy and overall well-being have also significantly improved.
Dr. Kapoor emphasized that non-surgical transcatheter valve repair offers new hope for patients considered too frail for open-heart surgery. “Such innovations not only extend life but also restore dignity and vitality, especially as India’s population continues to age,” he said.
This successful procedure underscores the growing potential of advanced, minimally invasive cardiac care in improving outcomes for high-risk elderly patients.
