TAVI, an alternative to conventional cardiac surgery

BGS Gleneagles Global Hospitals, a part of Parkway Pantai, successfully performed the Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation or TAVI, a suitable alternative for aortic valve replacement surgery.

This minimally invasive procedure repairs the valve without removing the old, damaged valve by wedging the replacement valve into the old valve.

This procedure was approved by the FDA in 2011, and has been performed on about 50,000 patients worldwide.

As per research, patients have been shown to live longer with a better quality of life, as compared to those patients being treated solely through medication.

It is a good alternative to angioplasty, and in patients who are not fit for surgery. It has been used as a treatment for aortic stenosis, a condition that results from narrowing of the aortic valve.

It is a minimally invasive procedure, utilising a catheter inserted from the patient's femoral artery to reach the heart, in place of surgery that requires the chest to be opened.

Patients undergoing the TAVI procedure do not require general anesthesia or assistance from a heart lung machine and require a shorter hospital stay in comparison to other cardiac treatments.

81-year-old, Jayarami Reddy, had severe aortic valve stenosis and had undergone a coronary artery bypass grafting procedure, multiple percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasties and stinting procedures in the past.

His medical assessment revealed a severe left ventricular dysfunction, renal dysfunction and diabetes. Given the conditions, he was not fit for surgical aortic valve replacement as the surgery would have carried high risks. If left untreated, the patient could suffer from serious heart failure or even death within two years.

A highly skilled team of doctors led by Dr Ravindranath Reddy D R took on this complicated case. The team also comprised of Dr Deepesh Venkataraman, Interventional Cardiologist.

The patient underwent the TAVI procedure successfully, without any complications, and achieved very good clinical improvement.

Dr Reddy D R, Senior Interventional Cardiologist at BGS Gleneagles Global Hospitals, stated, "The patient was brought in a highly symptomatic state as he had previously endured multiple heart procedures. This, coupled with his other medical ailments, would have resulted in a very tricky and complicated surgery, of which the chances of successful and uncomplicated outcome were very low."

"The age factor was an added risk. Transcatheter aortic valve replacement works as a great alternative in such cases, and has once again proven to be a successful and suitable procedure to be performed under these conditions. This procedure also results in a shortened recovery period," he continued.

Thomas Mathew, COO, added, "Gleneagles Global Hospitals has an amazing cardio program run by a highly skilled team of cardiologists and cardiothoracic surgeons. Our interventional cardiology team is up-to-date and trained to perform the newer procedures, helping patients who are not fit for conventional surgical procedures."

"They have a wealth of experience and expertise in all cardiac procedures. Our team is capable of handling the full spectrum of adult and paediatric heart related ailments and surgery," he stated.

Gleneagles Global Hospitals is amongst the pioneers in India capable of providing this therapy.