Mangaluru: Indiana Hospital performs Coastal Karantaka's first valve implant procedure using TAVI
Mangaluru: One of Mangaluru’s premier healthcare provider, Indiana Hospital and Heart Institute Ltd., performed first Trans-catheter Aortic Valve Replacement/Implantation (TAVI/TAVR), a new technologically advanced procedure in cardiology, in Coastal Karnataka. A press statement from the hospital described it as ‘another milestone in the hospital’s meritorious journey’.
The successful procedure was performed on an elderly patient hailing from Madikeri District, last week. The procedure was led by Dr. Yusuf Kumble, the Chief Interventional Cardiologist and managing director of Indiana Hospital, along with the hospital’s cardiology team.
The press statement added that patient was now hale and hearty and was ready to be discharged.
Speaking to media reporters, Dr. Yusuf Kumble said “TAVI has revolutionized the way elderly heart patients are treated the world over. It has not been more than two years since the procedure was adopted by some of the leading hospital in India. And we at Indiana, keeping with pace with the emerging technologies in the healthcare sector, were the first to carry out this procedure in Coastal Karnataka, showing the way for others in the region to follow suit.
The patient was reportedly advised open heart surgery by another hospital before he consulted cardio team at Indiana Hospital for a second opinion. When the procedure TAVI was explained to the patient and the members of his family, they agreed to it taking into account the patient’s fear of open surgery and the high risks involved in it. “Indiana’s Heart Team then took up the challenge and successfully implanted the new valve through TAVI” the press statement added.
“Conventionally, an open heart surgery is performed for replacing the aortic valve for treating aortic stenosis. But a majority of the elderly patients are not fit enough to undergo an open heart surgery. This is where TAVI becomes a boon to such patients, as in this minimally-invasive procedure, the damaged valve is replaced by a new 26mm valve through a keyhole procedure using a catheter as is done for angiogram. The valve remains folded during insertion and opens up when warm blood flows through it. The procedure takes about two hours and the patient is taken out of the ICU in six hours” Dr. Yusuf explained.
Elaborating further, Dr. Yusuf said, “Another advantage is that if after ten years the replaced valves degenerates, it can be replaced with a new valve. By incorporating this new technology, it has once again been confirmed that Indiana Hospital is in the vanguard in the field of cardiology and interventional procedures. Though for the time being the cost is a bit prohibitive, we expect it to come down as it is an evolving technology. I appeal to the government of India to waive or reduce considerably the high GST levied on TAVI procedure so that the society in general benefits” Dr. Yusuf said.
Patient Samuel Daniel, Dr. Shuaib Kade, COO, Indiana Hospital and other members of the cardio team were present during the press conference at the hospital on Friday afternoon.
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South African police arrest suspect in mass shooting that killed 12, including 3 children
Johannesburg (AP): A 32-year-old suspect has been arrested in connection with a mass shooting which claimed the lives of 12 people including three children at an unlicensed pub earlier this month, South African police said on Monday.
The man is suspected of being one of the three people who opened fire on patrons in a pub at Saulsville township, west of South Africa's capital Pretoria, killing 12 people including three children aged 3, 12 and 16.
At least 13 people were also injured during the attack, whose motive remains unknown.
According to the police, the suspect was arrested on Sunday while traveling to Botlokwa in Limpopo province, more than 340 km from where the mass shooting took place on Dec 6.
An unlicensed firearm believed to have been used during the attack was recovered from the suspect's vehicle.
“The 32-year-old suspect was intercepted by Limpopo Tracking Team on the R101 Road in Westenburg precinct. During the arrest, the team recovered an unlicensed firearm, a hand gun, believed to have been used in the commission of the multiple murders. The firearm will be taken to the Forensic Science Laboratory for ballistic analysis,” police said in statement.
The suspect was arrested on the same day that another mass shooting at a pub took place in the Bekkersdal township, west of Johannesburg, in which nine people were killed and 10 wounded when unknown gunmen opened fire on patrons.
Police have since launched a search for the suspects.
South Africa has one of the highest homicide rates in the world and recorded more than 26,000 homicides in 2024 — an average of more than 70 a day. Firearms are by far the leading cause of death in homicides.
The country of 62 million people has relatively strict gun ownership laws, but many killings are committed with illegal guns, according to authorities.
According to police, mass shootings at unlicensed bars are becoming a serious problem. Police shut down more than 11,000 illegal taverns between April and September this year and arrested more than 18,000 people for involvement in illegal liquor sales.
