In a major medical achievement, doctors at Agartala Government Medical College (AGMC) & GBP Hospital successfully performed a complex heart valve replacement surgery on a 56-year-old woman from Jarulchhara, Kumarghat in Unakoti district.

The patient, who had been suffering from heart ailments for over 14 years and was under treatment abroad, had long been advised to undergo an aortic valve replacement. 

However, due to financial constraints, she could not proceed with the procedure. Over time, her condition deteriorated severely — she developed breathing difficulties and became unable to perform daily activities.

Upon visiting the CTVS & IR Department of AGMC on July 29, doctors conducted a series of tests and found her aortic valve completely damaged with calcium deposits and stones. This rendered her heart incapable of pumping blood properly.

Dr. Kanak Narayan Bhattacharya, CTVS surgeon at AGMC & GBP Hospital, assured the family that the operation could be carried out free of cost under the Ayushman Bharat scheme. The patient was admitted on August 21, and on August 25, a 10-member surgical team led by Dr. Bhattacharya successfully replaced her valve (tissue) through open-heart surgery.

After the procedure, the patient responded well to treatment and was kept under ICU observation for a few days. She was discharged on September 11 and advised to visit GBP Hospital weekly for follow-ups.

Expressing their gratitude, the patient’s family members said they were overwhelmed with the government’s support for the life-saving surgery.

The surgical team included Dr. Manimoy Debbarma, Dr. Surjit Pal (Critical Care), Physician Assistant Sudipta Mondal, OT Assistant Ratan Mondal, Joydeep Chakraborty, Abhijit Roy, Perfusionist Sujan Saha, Sourav Tripura, and OT nurses Mousumi Debnath, Annabahadur Jamatiya, Sourav Shil, and Arpita Saha.