NIMS to launch Telangana’s first human heart valve bank

HYDERABAD: The Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS) is preparing to achieve another milestone in the state’s healthcare sector with the establishment of Telangana’s first homograft valve bank. Officials said the bank, being set up under the state government’s supervision, is expected to begin operations later this month. The facility will store purified human heart valves collected from brain-dead and circulatory-death donors at extremely low temperatures.

The valves, preserved using cryopreservation technology at –196°C in liquid nitrogen, will be used in complex cardiac surgeries, particularly for patients suffering from severe infections or those in whom artificial valves have failed.

Currently, there are only six such valve banks in India. Once operational, the NIMS facility will serve patients from Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and neighbouring states. Doctors said the valve bank would make advanced cardiac care more affordable, as it would reduce dependence on costly private facilities. “Natural valves collected through this process can save lives where artificial ones are unsuitable,” a senior cardiologist at NIMS said.

Homograft valves are particularly beneficial for children born with heart defects and for patients whose valves are severely infected.

How the homograft valve bank works

When a person is declared brain-dead or dies within 24 hours, healthy heart valves can be collected through organ donation. The tissue is sterilised in antibiotic solutions to remove bacteria and viruses and then frozen using cryopreservation. The valves remain viable for two to three years. When required, surgeons retrieve a valve from storage, prepare it for implantation, and perform the replacement surgery.

Why homograft valves are better

Doctors said artificial or mechanical valves, which cost between ₹50,000 and ₹2 lakh, often require lifelong medication to prevent blood clots. “Patients with mechanical valves must use blood thinners permanently, which increases the risk of bleeding or stroke,” said another doctor. For children, mechanical valves do not grow with the body, making repeat surgeries inevitable. Bioprosthetic valves made from animal tissue last 10–15 years but are prone to infection. Homograft valves, on the other hand, cause fewer infections, do not need blood thinners, and are partially compatible with a child’s growth.