Press Release – 22 June 2026
On 22 June 2026, Dr. Haresh Mehta, Director of Structural Cardiology at S. L. Raheja Hospital in Mumbai, announced that the city has experienced a 25 percent year‑on‑year rise in transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) procedures. The increase reflects a broader shift toward minimally invasive cardiac therapies that provide shorter hospital stays, faster recovery, and outcomes that are increasingly comparable to conventional surgical valve replacement.
Aortic stenosis, the most common valve disorder in individuals aged 60 years and above, narrows the aortic valve and restricts blood flow. Symptoms such as breathlessness, fatigue, chest discomfort and dizziness are often misattributed to normal ageing, leading to delayed diagnosis. Without treatment, severe aortic stenosis can progress to heart failure, markedly reducing quality of life and raising mortality risk.
Dr. Mehta explained that heightened awareness of structural heart disease and earlier diagnosis have expanded TAVR demand beyond traditionally high‑risk patients to include intermediate‑risk, lower‑risk, and, when appropriately selected, younger cohorts. He credited advances in technology, high‑resolution imaging, hybrid catheterisation laboratories and multidisciplinary Heart Teams for enabling more personalised treatment planning and the management of complex structural cases with greater precision. These capabilities, he said, position Mumbai’s integrated, technology‑driven cardiac ecosystem as a destination for patients from across India and international markets.
The press release cited a landmark seven‑year study published in The New England Journal of Medicine that enrolled approximately 1,000 patients. The analysis reported TAVR death rates of 19.5 percent versus 16.8 percent for surgery, stroke rates of 8.5 percent versus 8.1 percent, and rehospitalisation rates of 20.6 percent versus 23.5 percent, indicating no statistically significant differences between the two modalities.
Patients undergoing TAVR typically recover within two to three days, allowing a swift return to daily activities. As life expectancy after valve interventions rises, clinicians are focusing on lifetime management, valve durability and future treatment pathways. Dr. Mehta added that continued technological progress and growing clinical experience have brought India’s structural heart care to a level comparable with leading global centres.
The release concluded that, with increasing public awareness of aortic stenosis and expanding access to advanced structural interventions, Mumbai is well‑positioned to lead the next phase of cardiac‑care innovation in India.
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