The Cost of Cardiac Treatments in India: Does it Make Sense?

Cardiovascular disease, which includes rheumatic heart disease, congenital heart disease, valvular heart disease, and coronary artery disease, is the general term for conditions affecting the heart. Different cardiac conditions call for various surgical techniques. Let’s examine the most popular cardiac surgery in India along with how much it costs:

The angioplasty procedure

An angioplasty is a surgical technique used to open up arteries or veins that are congested with white blood cells by surgically widening them.

• The angioplasty Treatment:

During the procedure, the surgeon inserts a wire through which an empty balloon, also known as a balloon catheter, is passed. The balloon catheter is then inflated to a specific size. The blood artery is again made wider for better blood flow by the force the inflated balloon applies to the muscle wall and the internal stenosis of the channel. The balloon is then removed after being deflated. A stent may or may not be inserted at the time of ballooning, depending on the patient’s health.

• When is an angioplasty performed?

When a patient has coronary artery disease, namely a narrowing of the arteries brought on by the buildup of fat, cholesterol, calcium, or atherosclerosis, an angioplasty is carried out.

• Complete expenses of the treatment 

In India, the price of an angioplasty starts at USD 5,000 if only one stent is used. There is an extra fee of USD 2,000 for additional stents.

CABG

Plaque can occasionally obstruct the arteries bringing blood to the heart, preventing smooth blood flow. The surgical operation known as coronary artery bypass surgery, or CABG, is utilised to bypass blood through those blocked arteries in order to enhance the flow of blood and oxygen to the heart.

• The CABG Treatment:

There are two techniques to do CABG: “off-pump” and “on-pump.” Unlike “on-pump” surgery, which is conducted with the heart stopped, “off-pump” surgery is carried out while the patient’s heart is still beating. To circumvent blocked arteries, veins and arteries from various areas of the body are stitched to one of the coronary arteries and connected at the other end to the aorta, the biggest artery in the body.

• When is a CABG performed?

Patients who have coronary artery diseases have a CABG.

• Complete expenses of the treatment

In India, CABG or bypass surgery costs begin at USD 4400.

Heart Valve Replacement

The replacement of one or more heart valves is done during heart valve replacement surgery. It can be repaired or replaced with a bioprosthesis, an artificial heart valve, or both.

• Treatment for heart valve replacement

A mechanical valve or a bioprosthetic valve is used to replace the original valves. The damaged valves are replaced during open cardiac surgery. The replacement of the heart valve involves four procedures:

1. Replacement of the Aortic Valve
2. Replacement of the mitral valve
3. Replacement of the Tricuspid Valve
4. Replace pulmonary valve

• The Heart valve replacement Treatment

When one of the four major heart valves—the aortic, mitral, tricuspid, and pulmonary—is damaged, as in the case of a narrowing of the valve (valve stenosis), or if the valve cannot close properly, a valve replacement is carried out.

• When is a Heart valve replacement performed?

In India, replacing a valve costs as little as USD 6,500.

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CAG

An X-Ray examination called a CAG, or coronary angiography, is performed to assess how your blood flows through your heart. The purpose of a CAG is to determine whether there are any coronary artery blockages, how many there are, where they are located, and how severe they are.

• The CAG Treatment

The patient is treated during a 30- to 60-minute CAG while under local anaesthetic. Through the patient’s arm or groyne, a catheter is introduced into the artery leading to the heart and then into the heart itself. A special dye that makes the coronary arteries visible on the X-Ray is then injected into the patient’s bloodstream by the cardiologist after the device has been implanted. The blockages are then located by looking at the x-ray images and observing how the dye flows through the arteries. After the test is finished, the catheter is taken out.

• The CAG Treatment

A CAG is carried out if the patient has one of the disorders listed below:

• When is a CAG performed?

In India, a CAG procedure can cost as much as USD 500, with prices starting at USD 350.

Heart Transplant

A patient who has been deemed brain dead by at least two or three hospitals has a heart transplant to replace a damaged heart with a healthy heart from another patient.

India is a top destination for medical tourists, and many individuals come here each year to receive care from the country’s top cardiac doctors.

• The Heart Transplant Treatment

A patient who has been deemed brain dead by at least two or three hospitals has a heart transplant to replace a damaged heart with a healthy heart from another patient.

India is a top destination for medical tourists, and many individuals come here each year to receive care from the country’s top cardiac doctors.

• The Heart Transplant Treatment

Just below Adam’s apple, the surgeon will create an incision that extends all the way down to the chest. The breastbone is divided in two and spaced widely. Cardiopulmonary bypass, a heart-lung machine, was used by the surgeon to insert tubes into the patient’s chest to pump blood throughout the body.

The patient’s sick heart is removed after all of the blood has been pumped to the bypass machine. After that, the donor heart is stitched into place, and blood arteries are meticulously joined to prevent leakage.

While the tubes securing the machine are being removed, blood flowing through the bypass machine is permitted to return to the heart. Mild shocks restore the heartbeat. After that, the healthcare team continues to monitor it to check on its functionality and ensure that there are no new leaks.

• What is the timing of a heart transplant?

When a patient develops end-stage heart failure, a heart transplant is done.