Heart Valve Replacement Surgery Cost in India

Valve Replacement Surgery in JCI Accredited Hospitals in India

What is Valve Replacement Surgery?

Valve replacement surgery is a procedure to remove impaired heart valve and replace it with a mechanical (metal or carbon) or a biological (pig, cow or human tissue) valve.

This surgery is required in patients who have heart valve disease. Heart valve disease leads to at least one of the four heart valves (namely Aortic valve, Mitral valve, Tricuspid valve and Pulmonary valve)to not function properly. The two basic heart valve problems are:

• A narrowing of a valve (stenosis)
• A leakage in a valve allowing backward flow of blood (regurgitation)

The type of heart valve surgery needed (replacement or repair) depends on various factors, including age, health, and the type and severity of heart valve disease.

Types of Heart Valves

Mechanical Valves: Mechanical valves are made up of carbon and polyester and could last around 10- 20 years. They are usually well tolerated by the human body however one of the risks associated with mechanical valves is blood clots. To counter this, the patient would be required to take blood thinners for the rest of his/her life to reduce the risk of stroke.

Biological valves: Biological or Bio-prosthetic valves are made up of human or animal tissue. They are usually of three types:

1. Human Tissue: A tissue graft taken from a donated human heart.
2. Bovine Tissue: A tissue graft taken from bovine (cow) tissue. Usually connected to the heart using a silicone rubber.
3. Porcine Tissue: A tissue graft taken from Porcine (pig) tissue. This can be implanted with or without a frame called a stent.

Since biologic valves don’t increase the risk of developing blood clots hence a patient would not be required to take blood thinners for life. However, the lifespan of a bio-prosthetic valve is not as long as a mechanical one and hence may require replacement at a future date.

Type of Surgical Procedures

Apart from the traditional open heart surgery the two new approaches used in valve replacement are:

1. Minimally invasive cardiac surgery (MICS)/ Surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR);

• Percutaneous or trans-aortic valve replacement (PAVR / TAVR):Catheter assisted replacement of the aortic valve is a minimally invasive option for those suffering from aortic valve stenosis. It is performed by guiding a catheter from the groin to the narrowed valve via the aorta using real-time x-ray technology. A metal stent containing a valve is then deployed using a balloon to press the stent into the valve in effect opening the stenosed (or narrowed) valve and lodging the stent in place.

2. Robot-assisted heart valve surgery: The minimally-invasive robotically-assisted technique uses even smaller incisions – often less than 2 inches. The surgeon’s hands control the movement and placement of the endoscopic instruments to open the pericardium (thin sac that surrounds the heart) and to perform the procedure. In most cases, the sternum or breastbone does not need to be opened and the ribs do not need to be spread to perform the procedure.

Top Surgeons Offering Valve Replacement Surgery in India

• Dr Bhaba Nanda Das – Chief Cardiac Surgeon (CTVS), Apollo Indraprastha Hospital, New Delhi, (Experience 38 years).
• Anil Bhan – Chairman, Cardiac Surgery, Heart Institute, Medanta the Medicity, Gurugram, (Experience 40 years).
• Dr Z.S. Meherwal – Executive Director, Fortis Escorts Heart Institute, New Delhi, (Experience 30 years).
• Dr S K Sinha – Senior Director, Cardiac Sciences, Cardiac Surgery (CTVS), Max Super Speciality Hospital, Saket, (Experience 33 years).
• Dr Y K Mishra – Chief of Clinical Services, Head of Cardiac Sciences and Chief Cardio Vascular Surgeon, Manipal Hospitals, (Experience 34 years).
• Dr Rajneesh Malhotra – Principal Director – Cardio Thoracic & Vascular Surgery Cardiac Sciences, (CTVS) at Max Super Speciality Hospital, Saket, (Experience 35 years).
• Dr Udgeath Dhir – Director & Head, Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery (CTVS), Fortis Escorts Hospital, Faridabad | Fortis Memorial Research Institute, Gurugram, (Experience 15 years).
• Dr Akhil Govil – Unit Head – Cardio Thoracic and Vascular Surgery, Artemis Hospital, New Delhi, (Experience 20 years).

Heart Valve Replacement Surgery in India: Factors Affecting Cost

The cost of heart valve replacement surgery is cheaper in India than in the majority of the countries in the world. This is primarily because of the Excellent facilities for cardiac surgeries and the fact that valves used for the surgery are mainly manufactured and available within the country’s boundaries.

By giving the highest quality medical treatment at an affordable cost, India has established itself as one of the most popular hubs to get therapy from around the world. It is primarily known for all cardiac surgery, including cardiac bypass, heart valve replacement, coronary angioplasty bypass grafting (CABG) and other heart-related surgeries. 

Determining the Factors Affecting the Cost

The factors determining the cost of heart valve replacement in India are broadly categorized into three types: 

Hospital Factors

• Type of Hospital( Government/ trust/ Private)
• Use of insurance, type of insurance or self-paid
• Accreditation( JCI Or NABH)
• Reputation and brand value of the hospital
• Single or Super speciality cardiology hospitals, like Fortis Escorts Heart Institute, are expensive. 
• Location of the hospital – Second-tier cities are cheap, whereas metropolitan cities are expensive. 

Medical Team Factors

• Technology and approach used for the surgery
• Surgery type ( Minimally Invasive or Traditional Open Heart Surgery) 
• Type of anaesthesia uses
• Qualification and expertise of the CTVS Surgeon 
• The extent of surgery needed

Patient Factors

• Patient Diagnosis
• Patient general health and fitness 
• Room category selected by the patient, single or economy 
• Other treatments required in conjunction

A look into other significant factors

Type of Valve: the cost of a valve can vary. Mechanical valves are economically durable but require lifelong blood-thinning medicines, and on the other hand, biological valves are not expensive and durable but do not require blood thinners. 

Medical complications: Additional medical expenses can occur if the complications occur during the surgery or the surgery. 

 Length of Hospital Stay: The duration of hospitalization impacts the overall cost. A more extended stay can result in higher expenses for room charges, nursing care, and other associated costs.

Diagnostic Tests and Pre-operative Care: Costs associated with diagnostic tests, pre-operative assessments, and consultations with specialists before the surgery can add to the overall expense.

Post-operative Care: After the surgery, there may be expenses related to medications, rehabilitation, and follow-up consultations.

Cost in Top Hospitals Doing  Heart Valve Replacement Surgery in India

Note: Tissue valve will cost USD 2,000 extra per valve. 

Your Package Will Cover

India Stay: 20 days 

Success rate of the surgery: 99% 

Heart Health on a Budget: Service Cost

It’s important to note that the cost of aortic valve replacement can vary significantly between hospitals and patients based on their specific medical conditions and needs. Patients are encouraged to research and compare costs at other healthcare facilities, consider their insurance coverage, and consult with experts like Dr NADEEM KHAN ( Top Medical consultant in India) to understand the expected expenses before the procedure.

We will help you to find the best Heart Valve Replacement Surgery Doctors in India.