72-Year-Old Man Receives Prosthetic Heart Valve Without Surgery
- By DTMT Network
- September 7, 2024
- Exclusive
A 72-year-old man recently had his damaged heart valve successfully replaced with a prosthetic valve without the need for open surgery at Kailash Deepak Hospital, New Delhi.
A 72-year-old man recently had his damaged heart valve successfully replaced with a prosthetic valve without the need for open surgery at Kailash Deepak Hospital, New Delhi.
Dr. Mitesh Sharma, MS, MCh, Chief Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgeon, led the team that performed the procedure. Using the Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI) technique, the team replaced the aortic valve through a minimally invasive procedure. A small puncture was made in the patient's groin, and a thin tube was used to guide the artificial heart valve through the femoral artery to the heart, similar to how a cardiac stent procedure is performed. The entire procedure was carried out under local anesthesia with light sedation, allowing the patient to remain conscious and responsive throughout.
The patient had undergone coronary artery bypass surgery seven years ago and had been experiencing breathing difficulties due to a severely narrowed aortic valve, as revealed by an echocardiogram. Preoperative CT coronary angiography confirmed that the previous bypass grafts were functioning well. Given his preference to avoid another open-heart surgery, the TAVI procedure was chosen as a less invasive alternative.
The heart team included Dr. Rajesh Chauhan, Chief Cardiac Anesthetist, Dr. Jitendra Sharma, Consultant Cardiac Surgeon, and Dr. Rahul Patil, Consultant Cardiac Anesthetist and Cardiologist.
Post-surgery recovery is quicker with the TAVI procedure, enabling patients to resume physical activities sooner. According to Dr. Mitesh Sharma, TAVI is generally recommended for elderly patients with severe aortic valve narrowing, especially when they have weakened kidney or lung function, or when open surgery poses significant risks.
The cost of the bioprosthetic valve used in TAVI ranges from ₹13 lakhs to ₹19 lakhs. Costs could decrease in the future if more of the valve's components are manufactured locally in India.
