Guwahati: In a major breakthrough for cardiac care in the Northeast, Apollo Excelcare Hospital, Guwahati, has successfully performed the region’s first combined Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI) and Coronary Angioplasty, marking a significant milestone in advanced cardiovascular treatment.
The pioneering procedure was carried out by a team of senior cardiologists—Dr. Dhanjit Nath, Dr. Amitava Misra, Dr. Diganta Buragohain and Dr. Neil Bardoloi (Director & Head – Cardiology)—on a 67-year-old patient from Shillong, Meghalaya, identified as Rockliff Langstieh (name changed). The patient suffered from severe aortic stenosis and a critical Left Circumflex (LCX) artery blockage, compounded by Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD Stage 5) and dependence on regular dialysis, making open-heart surgery exceptionally risky.
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To avoid the high risks of conventional surgery, doctors adopted a minimally invasive, dual-step approach in a single sitting. First, the team performed an angioplasty to clear the LCX blockage. Immediately afterward, they implanted a balloon-expandable MyVal prosthetic valve through TAVI, restoring normal blood flow and stabilizing the patient’s condition.
In a joint statement, the cardiologists said, “This is not just a success for the patient, but a paradigm shift for cardiac treatment access in the entire Northeast. By integrating complex coronary and structural interventions, we safely treated a high-risk patient who could not undergo open-heart surgery.”
The patient has since been discharged and is recovering well. “I feel like I’ve been given a second chance at life,” he said.
The procedure’s minimally invasive nature enabled faster recovery, shorter hospital stay, and early return to normal activities. The MyVal prosthetic valve is expected to function effectively for 10–12 years, with future valve-in-valve options available. Apollo Excelcare Hospital stated that this achievement reinforces its commitment to advancing cardiac care for the entire region.
