City hospital treats heart condition with indigenously-made device

Kauvery Hospital successfully treated a 58-year-old woman suffering from a heart valve condition with a device manufactured in India. Ajith Pillai, chief cardiologist at the hospital in Kovilambakkam, at a press meet held on Friday, said the woman had a heart condition, mitral regurgitation (MR), where the mitral valve of the heart does not close properly, causing blood to leak backward into the heart, and posing a risk of heart failure. The patient was also on dialysis and suffered breathlessness during her dialysis sessions. The patient could not undergo a heart transplant or open heart surgery. A team of specialists led by Dr. Pillai performed a non-surgical heart valve repair by placing a mitral clip, ‘MyClip’, manufactured by Indian company Meril Lifesciences, through the ‘Make in India’ initiative. The patient subsequently recovered and is now able to perform regular daily activities. Dr. Pillai said the indigenous clip offered a life-saving alternative at an affordable cost.