Mahlet Tadesse Haile, a 44-year-old mother from Ethiopia, has regained her health after undergoing a high-risk redo heart surgery at Amrita Hospital, Faridabad. Nearly 19 years earlier she had received a bioprosthetic mitral valve. Four subsequent pregnancies strained her heart, causing the tissue valve to fail and leaving her with extreme fatigue, progressive breathlessness, and an inability to carry out daily activities.
Her case was extraordinarily complex. In addition to the failed valve, Mahlet suffered from severe pulmonary hypertension — dangerously high blood pressure within the lungs — and had only one functioning kidney, which had to be protected throughout treatment. Scar tissue from her earlier open-heart surgery had caused her heart to adhere to the sternum, making even reopening the chest hazardous.
The surgical team was led by Dr. Sameer Bhate, Senior Consultant and Head of Adult Cardiac Surgery. "In this case, even opening the chest carries a risk of catastrophic bleeding. Add to this Mahlet's single kidney, and every clinical decision had to be measured with absolute accuracy," he explained. The team chose a tissue valve to optimise her quality of life.
The surgery was completed without complications. Her kidney function stayed stable, her heart rhythm normalised, and she regained strength within days. At discharge, Mahlet reported easier breathing, more energy, and renewed freedom of movement.
