NAVI MUMBAI
In only the second such case in State to make use of the state-of-the-art Acurate new-2 valve, an 86-year-old male patient whose heart valve had severely narrowed (Aortic Stenosis) restricting the blood flow has beaten the odds to recover successfully.
The patient Yashwant Ahire underwent an advanced procedure, Trans Catheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI), to replace the damaged heart valve. The surgery was successfully conducted at Apollo Hospitals Navi Mumbai.
Ahire had symptoms of hypertension and ischemic heart disease and was also pre-diabetic. In addition to his advanced age, the case was complicated by a history of heart problems, including blockage in the arteries treated by coronary bypass surgery. After evaluation of the patient’s condition, the cardiology team at the hospital decided to use a new valve system called ACURATE neo2 to replace the damaged valve.
Dr. Rahul Gupta, Senior Interventional Cardiologist, Rhythm Disorders, and Valve expert (Certified Implanter Medtronic and Meril) at the hospital said, “Ahire had Aortic Stenosis, a condition where the main valve in the heart that controls the flow of blood out of the heart and into the rest of the body becomes narrow and doesn’t open properly.”
He added, “The calcification was also very hard and stiff and in a tricky spot, making the case very risky. The approach required additional planning especially with his history of a coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in 1998 and a coronary angiography followed by medical management in 2016.”
Explained Gupta, “Valves are available with many variations as per patient’s medical status. But, our patient had multiple confounding factors which made selecting the suitable valve difficult. After much deliberation, we decided to perform TAVI using the ACURATE neo2 valve system, which was a perfect fit for him.”
The doctor stated, “This is only the second case in Maharashtra and the first in Navi Mumbai to use the state-of-the-art valve. I was ably assisted by my team comprising of Dr. Charan Reddy and Dr. Rajesh Matta on this case.”
Thanking the doctors at the hospital, an elated Ahire said, “I was aware of my condition but not of its severity. I used to feel very tired and was unable to walk more than a few steps. There were occasional blackouts as well.”
He informed, “On consultation with Dr. Rahul Gupta for the same, I was recommended to undergo the TAVI procedure. I am very happy and feel energised after the procedure. TAVI is an advanced, painless and beneficial procedure for patients like me. I am thankful to the hospital and the doctors.”
Said Santosh Marathe, Regional CEO – Western Region, Apollo Hospitals, “Apollo Hospitals, Navi Mumbai has been undertaking significant high-end structural heart disease procedures, with both domestic and international patients benefitting from these services. Our cardiology team has an expert cardiologist who is a certified implanter to conduct such complex procedures as well as an expert certified for pacemaker procedures.”
He informed, “The advanced TAVI procedure is a ray of hope for patients suffering from severe aortic stenosis who cannot go in for an open-heart surgery due to their age or other reasons. We are proud of our clinical team for successfully performing this procedure using the latest ACURATE neo2 valve system.”
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The problem and technology used
As we age, our heart valves become damaged and may not function as well as they should. Aortic stenosis is a narrowing of the aortic valve that restricts blood flow from the heart to the body. TAVI is a less invasive option for treating this problem, and it has a faster recovery time as compared to traditional open-heart surgery. With advanced age, open heart surgery is not a feasible option and TAVI, a safer, minimally invasive procedure is the method of choice to replace the damaged aortic valve with a new one, providing a safe and effective alternative that offers patients a faster recovery time and improved quality of life. TAVI requires experienced interventional cardiologists trained in structural heart procedures.