OKLAHOMA CITY – OU Health physicians have successfully performed a rare, minimally invasive heart procedure that placed two artificial pulmonary valves in a patient who was not eligible for traditional surgery or standard valve replacement.
The procedure used two Medtronic Harmony valves, delivered through catheters, and implanted in the patient’s right and left branch pulmonary arteries. The highly complex approach required advanced cardiac CT imaging, 3D modeling, and precise planning to maintain blood flow throughout the lungs.
The patient, a man in his 50s with advanced heart failure, renal failure, diabetes and obesity, faced limited treatment options due to his high surgical risk. Following the procedure, he now has two functioning pulmonary valves.
Led by OU Health interventional and structural cardiologist Dr. Subhrajit Lahiri, the procedure involved collaboration with specialists in pediatric cardiology, cardiac imaging, and adult congenital heart disease.
A review of medical literature found only one other reported case of this procedure worldwide, placing OU Health among the few centers globally to achieve this milestone. The success may provide a new treatment option for other patients with complex heart conditions who have been told they have few remaining options.
“This is exactly what OU Health is here to do,” Lahiri said. “When a patient runs out of options somewhere else, we find a way.”