Indore: TAVR or TransAortic Valve Replacement, a minimally invasive surgical procedure, was successfully carried out on a 93-year old patient at Apollo Hospital, Indore despite numerous challenges due to the lockdown. The nonagenarian with severe breathlessness and inability to lie down was airlifted to Indore, where he was diagnosed with critical condition of severe stenosis of the aortic valve. The only alternative was a valve replacement that had to be carried out immediately. Open-heart valve replacement surgery was not an option due to age and co-existing health issues including a cardiac history with a by-pass surgery, angioplasty, and renal dysfunction.
Senior Consultant Interventional Cardiologist, Apollo Hospitals, Dr K Roshan Rao, said, “Patients with calcification of the leaflets of the heart valve, that open and close with the flow of blood, often present with symptoms only after the age of 70-75 years. At this age, a majority are not suitable for open-heart surgery. However, if not treated, survival is difficult. TAVR is a revolutionary technique and a blessing for such patients so that they can have a prolonged healthy lifestyle with improved quality of life.”
