New technology finishes heart surgery in 90 mins

Chennai: About 40% of heart patients in India who require a valve replacement for aortic stenosis or blocked heart valves is not offered the treatment, either because they suffer from some health complication or are too old to undergo the surgery. Many among these patients voluntarily opt out of getting the surgery done, due to various factors. But now, with the treatment option of Aortic Valve replacement (TAVR), they have hope, say, doctors.

“Dramatic leaps in technology have made alternatives to chest-opening surgeries possible. Until now, valve replacement was mostly done through open heart surgery wherein a new tissue or mechanical prosthetic valve is inserted in place of the diseased valve,” says Dr Sengottuvelu, Senior Consultant and Interventional Cardiologist, Apollo Chennai. However, open-heart surgery is an invasive procedure and is known to have longer recovery time and may be challenging for elderly patients.

“Today, one can get a valve replacement for those faulty heart valves done just through small openings. The latest Make in India TAVR technology, being a minimally invasive procedure, is safe and effective for moderate to high-risk patients,” Dr Sengottuvelu said.

These procedures can thus, be done through small openings that leave all the chest bones in place thereby resulting in quicker recovery post-procedure. The first of its kind Indian TAVR technology procedure which took place in Chennai on 6th February on a 75-year-old man.

“The surgery lasted a total of 90 minutes, which is significantly low for a heart procedure. Also, it is important to note that usually, patients take at least 5-6 days to recover,” Dr Sengottuvelu said.