Panipat Man Undergoes Non-Surgical Heart Valve Replacement Successfully

By 121 News

Chandigarh June 30, 2021:- For the first time in India the transcatheter aortic valve replacement was performed in a Panipat patient weighing 150 kg with extremely-high risk factors. The landmark case study, which has set a new milestone in the treatment of valvular heart disease, has been submitted to the European heart Journal for publication.

Dr. Viveka Kumar, Principal Director & Chief of Cath Labs (Pan Max) cardiac sciences at Max Hospital, Saket New Delhi informed during a virtual  press conference on Wednesday that the 61-year-old patient was diagnosed with narrowing of the aortic valve, also known as aortic stenosis. He said that the aortic valve of the heart plays a vital role in the movement of blood in the proper direction; hence its narrowing results in disturbances which are potentially life-threatening.

Dr. Viveka Kumar said that the patient was suffering from renal failure with both the kidneys in a non-functional state. Additionally, the patient had a history of stroke and bleeding in the brain 4 years ago. He was suffering from diabetes and morbid obesity. The patient needed immediate aortic valve replacement for survival but because of risk factors, he was declared unfit for surgery.

Dr. Viveka said that the treatment through TAVR or transcatheter aortic valve replacement was brought to the table. Minimally invasive, TAVR is a catheter-based angioplasty like technique during which the doctors' thread a catheter commonly through an artery in the groin and into the heart so that a new aortic valve can be fitted inside the diseased valve without surgically opening the chest.

He shared that patient's risk factors pose a big challenge here also because obesity makes it difficult to access the arteries in the groin area, which is needed to reach out to the heart, along with the risk of bleeding and problems with vascular closure. Moreover, because of the kidneys not functioning, the required amount of dye needed to conduct the procedure could also not have been used.   

Dr. Viveka Kumar said that since for the patient survival treatment was essential, we moved ahead with treatment through TAVR, with no sedation & using one-fourth of normal dye quantity to make it harmless. We were successful in deploying the new aortic valve, noting no adverse effects. The patient was discharged after 3 days and all vitals are normal.