SVIMS performs rare heart surgery on woman with Achondroplasia

Tirupati: In a ground-breaking medical achievement, Sri Venkateswara InstituteA of Medical Sciences (SVIMS) successfully performed a rare and complex heart surgery on a 24-year-old woman suffering from achondroplasia, marking a first of its kind in the world.

S Annabai (24), a resident of Paramandoddi Tanda village in Mantralayam Mandal, Kurnool district, was admitted to Cardiothoracic Surgery (CT Surgery) department of SVIMS on May 1, with a severe heart condition. Following a series of diagnostic tests, CT surgery team identified damage to two heart valves that required urgent surgical intervention.

According to Dr Satyavati, Head of the CT Surgery Department, the patient was diagnosed with a congenital heart condition compounded by achondroplasia a rare genetic disorder commonly referred to as dwarfism. “Replacing two damaged heart valves in a patient with achondroplasia is extremely rare, and to our knowledge, this is the first time such a procedure has been successfully carried out anywhere in the world,” she said.

The surgery was performed by a team of expert doctors, including SVIMS Director cum Vice Chancellor Dr RV Kumar, Dr Satyavati, Dr Chiranjeevi, Dr Dheeraj, Dr Vishnu, and a specialised anaesthesia team led by Dr Alok Samant Ray and Dr Sumudh.

The patient made a complete recovery and was discharged from the hospital on Wednesday evening. Her mother, Chandramma, expressed her gratitude to the medical team and the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) management. She said that the surgery, which would have cost approximately Rs 5 lakh, was fully sponsored by the TTD’s ‘Pranadana Trust,’ making the treatment completely free of charge for the family. Commenting on the achievement, Director Dr Kumar said, “SVIMS takes great pride in undertaking and successfully completing such high-risk procedures. I congratulate the CT Surgery and anaesthesia teams for their dedication and expertise in performing this historic surgery.”