Lucknow: In a significant breakthrough in cardiac care, Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGI) has successfully performed a life-saving, minimally invasive heart procedure on a 70-year-old high-risk patient. The patient, suffering from a serious heart valve disorder and multiple health complications including kidney disease and a history of stroke, was deemed unfit for traditional open-heart surgery.
The cardiology team — Prof Roopali Khanna, Prof Satyendra Tewari, Prof Aditya Kapoor, and Dr Harshit Khare — carried out the advanced MitraClip procedure, marking a first-of-its-kind intervention in Uttar Pradesh. The MitraClip system allows doctors to repair the mitral valve via a catheter-based technique, eliminating the need for open-heart surgery. The system essentially acts as a stitch placed percutaneously to reduce the backward flow of blood, a condition known as mitral regurgitation.
Prof Roopali Khanna explained, “The patient was suffering from severe mitral regurgitation along with other comorbidities, including renal disease and a past stroke. His condition led to frequent hospital admissions due to heart failure. Given his age and risk factors, he was not a candidate for conventional surgery.”
Dr. Aditya Kapoor highlighted the impact of the procedure: “This case demonstrates how cutting-edge, catheter-based interventions like MitraClip can save lives. It significantly reduced the patient’s mitral regurgitation and improved his heart function with minimal recovery time.”
Prof Satyendra Tewari noted the historic significance of the intervention: “This is the first time such a procedure has been conducted in Uttar Pradesh. It opens new avenues for treating patients who were previously considered inoperable.”
The procedure, performed on April 22, 2025, was carried out with the essential support of the anaesthesia team — Prof Prabhat Tiwari, Prof Ashish Kanaujia, and Dr Larib — and concluded without any complications. The patient was discharged within days and is showing marked improvement in his symptoms and cardiac function during follow-up.
SGPGI continues to lead in advanced cardiac care, providing new hope to high-risk patients through compassionate and cutting-edge treatment. The entire cardiology team expressed gratitude to Prof R. K. Dhiman, Director of SGPGI, for his constant support and encouragement.
This achievement reaffirms the timeless wisdom of the proverb: A stitch in time saves nine.
