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SIMS Hospital, Chennai, has successfully performed India’s first combined transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) and Frozen Elephant Trunk (FET) graft procedure on a 61-year-old patient from Mumbai. This marks the country’s first hybrid cardiac surgery of its kind – remarkable as it was performed on a patient who had already undergone a complex Bentall procedure 11 years ago.
The 10-hour marathon surgery involved stopping the patient’s heart for two hours, and placing him on a heart-lung bypass for over four hours. Despite the immense complexity, the surgery was completed without any complications. The patient spent two days in the ICU and was discharged on the eighth day. “I feel much better now and am looking forward to a full recovery,” he said.
The patient’s deteriorating tissue valve and dangerously dilated aorta posed significant risks, necessitating this dual approach. The surgery combined the minimally invasive TAVR with the FET technique – where a special graft replaces the diseased aortic arch and descending aorta.
V.V. Bashi, director, Institute of Cardiac and Advanced Aortic Diseases, SIMS Hospital, called it a historic success, highlighting the precision, innovation, and collaboration involved. “This dual-stage, single-sitting approach is a first in India. It reflects how far cardiac care has come,” he said. Mohammed Idhrees, senior consultant, cardiothoraic surgery at the hospital, added, “This was one of India’s most challenging cardiac cases, but the patient’s strength and the team’s planning made recovery smooth.”
‘New era’
Ravi Pachamuthu, chairman of the hospital, said this landmark procedure brought in a new era in cardiac excellence, reaffirming advanced patient-focused care.
Published – June 13, 2025 12:48 am IST
