Kasturba hospital gets new procedure for preventing clots

The Kasturba Hospital has introduced an advanced device closure procedure for preventing clots in the left atrial appendage.

Addressing presspersons here recently, Rajan Shetty, Interventional Cardiologist at Kasturba Medical College and Hospital, Manipal, said the hospital was among very few centres in India to perform this advanced procedure.

This would provide relief for patients currently on warfarin medication.

Stroke risk reduced

Left atrial appendage is a little pouch where blood collects and both the appendage and atria run the risk of getting blood clots. When these blood clots are pumped out from the heart, it could result in paralysis or brain stroke.

He said the procedure, an innovative one, uses a nitinol mesh through percutaneous approach (from leg vein) to place a device in the appendage so that no blood can enter the appendage, negating the possibility of a blood clot. The advantage of this procedure is that the patient could gradually stop taking warfarin.

Patients who run the risk of gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding or cerebral bleeding due to warfarin would be benefitted. This procedure costs upto Rs. 2.5 lakh inclusive of medicine and hospital charges.

It will prevent clots in the left atrial appendage