IDEAL MECHANICAL VALVE IN INDIAN SCENARIO: A RETROSPECTIVE CASE STUDY

Background: Mechanical valve replacement is the treatment of choice for advanced valvular heart disease. In India, the indigenously developed TTK Chitra heart valve (TTKCHV) offers a cost advantage over imported prostheses such as St. Jude Medical valve (SJMV). This study compared their short-term outcomes.

Results: Both TTKCHV and SJMV groups demonstrated significant improvement in NYHA class and echocardiographic parameters postoperatively. At 30-day follow-up, there were no statistically significant differences between the two groups with respect to ejection fraction, transvalvular gradients or left ventricular dimensions. Mortality and complication rates were comparable. The cost of TTKCHV was approximately half that of SJMV, highlighting its affordability in the Indian setting.

Conclusion: TTKCHV provides short term clinical and echocardiographic outcomes comparable to SJMV in both MVR and AVR. Its lower cost makes it a practical and cost-effective alternative for valve replacement in India. Long-term follow-up is needed to confirm durability and late outcomes.