An elderly man, with a history of coronary artery bypass graft surgery, who had severe aortic valves stenosis and severe left ventricular dysfunction, underwent a transcatheter aortic valve implantation at Sri Ramachandra Medical Centre recently.
According to a press release, the procedure, carried out on September 29, involved making a tiny opening in the chest of about 2 cm — since the usual method of taking the valve to the heart through the arteries of the legs of shoulder region could not be done, with the patient being unfit for them. The procedure, done on a beating heart, was completed in 90 minutes. It had been essential for the patient as his ventricular functioning had been coming down drastically, the release said.
