Health

TAVR is allowing patients to live longer and with a higher quality of life

While there have been many advancements and improvements in the quality and performance of mechanical and tissue valves, none have been as transformative and disruptive as Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR). For many decades, open-heart valve replacement surgery, which involves cutting open the breast bone, stopping the heart, putting the blood circulation on artificial circulation, and then replacing the valve, was the most common procedure in the field. Since it is major surgery, it carries risks such as extended ICU and hospital stays, infection, haemorrhage, stroke, kidney function abnormalities, and neurological difficulties such as memory loss.Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is now the standard of care for the majority of patients with aortic stenosis (AS), including patients with low risk for surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR).

Medica Group of Hospitals, the largest private hospital chain in Eastern India, organized a panel discussion on ‘Transcatheter Valve Replacement’ at Hotel Peerless Inn in Kolkata. The goal was to educate the common people and community about Heart Valve Replacement by simple heart catheters inside the Cath Lab by Interventional Cardiologists instead of Valve replacement by Cardiac Surgeons inside the Surgical Operation Theatre, under prolonged general anesthesia and ventilation. Aortic Valve replacement with the help of a Cardiac Catheter is popularly known as Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement or TAVR.  Medica has performed more than 20 such procedures over the last three and half years and this number is progressively rising. Prof. Dr. Rabin Chakraborty, Senior Vice-Chairman & Senior Interventional Cardiologist, Medica Superspecialty Hospital, Dr. Dilip Kumar, Director of Cardiac Cath Lab – Senior Consultant Intervention Cardiologist & Electrophysiologist, Medica Superspecialty Hospital, and Dr. Anup Banerjee, Senior Interventional Cardiologist, Medica Superspecialty Hospital were among those who attended the panel discussion.

While talking about TAVR, Prof. Dr. Rabin Chakraborty, Senior Vice-Chairman & Senior Interventional Cardiologist, Medica Superspecialty Hospital, said, “When heart valves are operated on, it is typically an open-heart surgery under full anesthesia where the valves are replaced. However, surgeons no longer need to open the heart to access the valves, as transcatheter valve replacement has become the norm in valve replacement procedures. The dosage of anesthesia is milder in these cases, and patients can return home in the span of a few days following surgery. When transcatheter valve replacement is done in the aortic valve, it is referred to as Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement” (TAVR). Unlike surgical aortic valve replacement, TAVR is a less time-consuming medical procedure. In India, transcatheter valve replacement was introduced in 2016, gaining popularity rapidly. At Medica, we have successfully performed over 20 transcatheter valve replacement procedures in the past three and half years, which is the highest in Eastern India.” He further added, “The Heart Team in Medica Superspecialty Hospital has now gained the reputation and expertise in performing this complex Heart Valve Replacement Operation through Catheter with a minimum hospital stay. There was no complication in any of those cases in our center.”

Three critical TAVR case studies that Medica recently witnessed were also highlighted by the panel members during the panel discussion.

Related Articles

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Back to top button