First Combined TAVI and Angioplasty Conducted in Northeast

Apollo Excelcare Hospital has achieved a major milestone in the field of cardiac healthcare by successfully performing the Northeast’s first combined Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI) and Coronary Angioplasty. The breakthrough procedure marks a significant advancement in minimally invasive cardiac treatment and positions the hospital as a regional leader in complex heart interventions.

The procedure was performed by a multidisciplinary team of cardiologists — Dr. Dhanjit Nath, Dr. Amitava Misra, Dr. Diganta Buragohain and Dr. Neil Bardoloi, Director & Head, Cardiology, Apollo Excelcare Hospital.

The team operated on a 67-year-old male patient from Shillong, Meghalaya (name changed), diagnosed with severe aortic stenosis and a critical blockage in the Left Circumflex (LCX) artery. The patient also suffered from Stage 5 Chronic Kidney Disease and was undergoing regular dialysis, presenting an extremely high-risk profile for open-heart surgery.

Given the complexity and high surgical risk, doctors opted for a minimally invasive dual-intervention strategy. First, an angioplasty was carried out to relieve the LCX blockage. This was immediately followed by TAVI, using a balloon-expandable MyVal prosthetic valve to replace the calcified aortic valve — restoring stable blood flow and cardiac function.

“This is not just a success for one patient, but a paradigm shift for cardiac treatment in the Northeast,” the cardiology team said in a joint statement. “By integrating complex coronary and structural heart interventions in a single minimally invasive session, we avoided the life-threatening risks of open-heart surgery and demonstrated the level of advanced care now available in the region.”

The patient has since been discharged and is recovering well. Expressing gratitude, he shared, “I feel like I’ve been given a second chance. The recovery has been like a miracle.”

The minimally invasive approach significantly reduced hospitalization time and ensured faster recovery and early mobility. The implanted valve is designed to last 10–12 years, with the option of future valve-in-valve procedures if needed.

The success of this combined TAVI and angioplasty underscores Apollo Excelcare Hospital’s commitment to offering advanced, life-saving cardiac interventions closer to home, eliminating the need for patients to travel outside the Northeast for high-risk heart procedures.

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