An 82-year-old woman, who experienced severe breathing difficulty due to a cardiac condition, successfully underwent a minimally invasive procedure here. She was suffering from severe aortic stenosis (severe narrowing of heart valve that separates left ventricle from aorta). Sri Ramachandra Medical Centre treated her using a transcatheter aortic valve implant (TAVI). TAVI is a technique where a new valve is implanted across the affected valve by a percutaneous technique through a pinhole in the thigh.
A multidisciplinary team evaluated the patient and a stent was used to prevent obstruction of blood supply.
Intervention cardiologist S. Nagendra Boopathy led the team that performed the surgery. The patient was discharged on June 28.
According to a hospital release, the Indian-made valve was being used for the first time outside research.
S. Thanikachalam, chief of cardiac centre, said TAVI had become the standard of care for treatment of aortic valve stenosis, providing a safe alternative in senior citizens who were appropriately selected.
