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Valve in Valve TAVI successfully performed in a 79 year old woman at Rajagiri Hospital

Valve in Valve Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI) successfully performed in a 79 year old woman at Rajagiri Hospital . 79 year old Susamma an Idukki native was presented at Rajagiri Hospital Emergency Department with severe breathlessness and heart failure. 

In the year 2007 Susamma was diagnosed with Aortic valve stenosis — or aortic stenosis — a condition wherein aortic valve of heart narrows. The valve doesn't open fully, which reduces or blocks blood flow from heart into the main artery and to the rest of a body. She underwent surgical Aortic Valve Replacement with a Bioprosthetic Valve under Dr Shiv K Nair, Sr Consultant - CardioVascular and Thoracic Surgeon. In this procedure,  doctor removes the aortic valve and replaces it with a Bioprosthetic Valve. Aortic valve replacement surgery  treats aortic valve disease and help restore normal blood flow, reduce symptoms, prolong life and help preserve the function of  heart muscle. After aortic valve replacement surgery, patient eventually can return to daily activities, such as working, driving and exercise. 

However biological valves eventually need to be replaced because they degenerate over time. The average lifespan of a bioprosthetic valve is estimated at 12-15 years in elderly patients, As Susamma had completed 14 years after her first Aortic Valve replacement surgery, she was due for another replacement surgery as she had valve restenosis and heartfailure. Considering her current age it was a bit risky to undergo another replacement surgery, hence Dr Shiv K Nair Sr Consultant - CardioVascular & Thoracic Surgeon and  Dr Suresh Davis, Consultant - Interventional Cardiology, Rajagiri Hospital decided to go for a procedure known as Valve in Valve TAVI, which has been rarely attempted in Kerala. 

Interventional Cardiologists Dr Suresh Davis, Dr Ramdas Nayak, Dr Antony Pathadan, Dr Jacob George along with Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgeons Dr Shiv K Nair, Dr Rinett Sebastian, Dr Vipin Nair with support from Cardiac Anethestists Dr Mary Smitha Thomas and Dr Dipin performed Valve in Valve TAVI on the patient wherin they implanted another valve inside the old valve without surgery.  Due to elevated operative risk in these elderly patients with comorbid medical conditions implantation of a transcatheter aortic valve Implantation (TAVI) within the degenerated bioprosthetic surgical aortic valve has proven to be feasible, safe, and effective. This procedure is a minimally invasive procedure that allows the cardiologist to cure a severely narrowed aortic valve without opening up the patient's chest by replacing the valve without removing the old, damaged valve.

Dr Suresh Davis, Consultant - Internventional Cardiologist said that “Valve in Valve TAVI is a good option for those people for whom an open-heart surgery procedure poses high risk, or they are not suitable. For these reasons, Valve in Valve TAVI is recommend to elderly patients more than 65 years, every life is precious and  any procedure which can add more life to a patient’s valuable years brings much joy to their loved ones.”

Dr Shiv K Nair, Sr. Consultant & HOD Cardiothoracic Surgery and Medical Director Rajagiri Hospital added that the “Rajagiri Hospital’s Cardiac Sciences Centre is one of the finest in country in terms of providing best Cardiac Medical, Interventional and Surgical treatments, we recently had  successfully performed Kerala’S First Bicaval Valve Implant on a 73 year old patient as well.”

 
18 May 2021 Back

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