Mumbai teen avoids open-heart surgery with Harmony Transcatheter Pulmonary Valve procedure at HN Reliance Foundation Hospital.
MUMBAI — A 15-year-old boy from Mumbai has become the first patient in the city to receive the Harmony Transcatheter Pulmonary Valve, a new and less invasive treatment for congenital heart disease. The procedure, carried out at the HN Reliance Foundation Hospital, replaced a non-functional heart valve using a catheter inserted through the groin, avoiding the need for open-heart surgery.
The boy was born with a defect in the right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT), the part of the heart that sends blood to the lungs. He had surgery as a newborn to relieve the obstruction, but doctors had to leave the pulmonary valve non-functional at that time. This led to a long-term condition known as pulmonary regurgitation, where blood leaks back into the heart.
Over the years, his right ventricle became enlarged and less efficient. Recently, he began to feel tired and unable to keep up with physical activity—signs that the valve needed to be replaced.
Traditionally, replacing the valve would have required open-heart surgery. This involves splitting the breastbone, using a heart-lung machine, and staying in the hospital for several days or even weeks. Given the risks and long recovery time, doctors chose a newer method.
They used the Harmony Transcatheter Pulmonary Valve, a self-expanding device made of a flexible metal frame and pig tissue. It is designed for patients who have previously undergone surgery and have enlarged RVOTs. The device was approved by the U.S. FDA and has recently become available in India.
The procedure was successful. The boy was discharged just two days later, on April 30, with no complications. He was able to return to school and resume normal activities, including sports, within a week.
“Had this not been available, he would have faced another major surgery,” said Dr. Bharat Dalvi, a senior cardiologist involved in the case. “Instead, he walked out of the hospital in two days.”
The Harmony Valve has already been used in several parts of the world, including the United States and Europe. In India, the technology is still new, with only a few cases reported so far—in places like Kerala and Faridabad. This operation marks its first use in Mumbai.
Dr. Maulik Parekh, who heads the TAVR and Structural Heart Program at HN Reliance Foundation Hospital, and Dr. Shivaprakash Krishna Naik, director of paediatric cardiac sciences at the same hospital, said this kind of innovation is especially important for children and young adults with congenital heart disease. As the technology becomes more available in India, more patients could benefit from safer and quicker treatments.
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