Shillong: Supercare Hospital in Shillong has achieved a medical milestone by successfully performing Meghalaya's first Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation, or TAVI. The procedure was performed on a 74-year-old woman from Sohra who suffered from severe aortic valve stenosis, a condition where the heart valve narrows due to age-related degeneration.
Interventional Cardiologist Dr. Synrang Batngen Warjri led the medical team, which included Cardiologist Dr. Amethyst Bamon and Anaesthetist Dr. Bordoloi. Unlike traditional open-heart surgery that requires a full chest incision, TAVI is a minimally invasive approach. Surgeons insert a replacement valve through a small puncture in the groin, guiding it to the heart through the blood vessels.
Dr. Warjri noted that the procedure is safer for elderly and high-risk patients who might not be candidates for traditional surgery. Because the patient was only sedated and the incision site was smaller than a one-rupee coin, she was able to recover quickly and return home within two days.
This achievement marks a significant advancement for cardiac care within the state. Hospital officials stated that providing these specialized treatments locally will reduce the need for patients to travel outside the region for complex heart surgery. They hope this success establishes a foundation for performing more advanced cardiac procedures in Meghalaya moving forward.
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