Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation - TAVI

Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation Hospital in Delhi

We at BLK-Max Heart Centre provide comprehensive care to patients suffering from severe Aortic Stenosis using a minimally invasive surgical procedure -Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI). Our team, consisting of highly experienced cardiovascular surgeons, performs the most complex cardiac surgeries using advanced technology and state-of-the-art facilities, which are at par with international standards.

Aortic Valve Stenosis is one of the most serious heart conditions which need immediate attention. Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI) is an effective treatment to cure the condition. Our surgeons perform Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI) procedure on people who have been diagnosed with severe Aortic Stenosis and are considered to be either at a high-risk or too sick for the conventional surgical valve replacement. The procedure repairs the damaged valve in the heart without actually removing it

What Is Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI)

Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation is a minimally invasive surgery in which a new valve is placed within the affected valve. Heart Valves are flaps of tissue that support the movement of blood in the right direction. In Aortic Valve Stenosis, the aortic valve narrows down, restricting the blood flow from the left ventricle to the aorta. This results in an unanticipated pressure build-up in the left atrium. It is a very serious heart condition that may or may not be congenital. TAVI surgery is the most effective treatment for aortic stenosis.

Alternate name of Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI)

Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI) is also known as Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR)

What Are The Indicators For Aortic Valve Stenosis

Any heart problem begins with sudden or gradual uneasiness, and your body starts giving you signals that something is wrong. Generally, we ignore the mild signs and start to take these seriously only when they progress or become persistent. Aortic valve stenosis sometimes might not show any symptoms, and only tests and scans can detect the problem. Some of the common symptoms associated with Aortic Valve Stenosis are as under:

Chest pain
Murmuring sound while you breathe
Palpitations
Fainting
Breathlessness

Children with congenital Aortic Valve Stenosis may experience:

Breathing irregularities
Slow or no weight gain
Insufficient feeding

What Are the Conditions We Treat With Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI) or Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR)?

Some of the major conditions that we treat with Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI) are listed below:

Wearing of the aortic valve in the elderly people
The scarring of the aortic valve due to rheumatic fever
The congenitally bicuspid aortic valve

Are You A Candidate For Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI)

A doctor will evaluate you for various conditions before advising you to undergo Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR). These conditions include:

Frailty age
Weak heart muscles
Previous heart surgery
History of stroke
Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (COPD)
Previous radiation treatment to your chest
Birth-related heart conditions (congenital heart disease) such as a bicuspid aortic valve
History of a heart-affecting infection
Having cardiovascular risk factors, such as
Diabetes
High cholesterol
High blood pressure
Chronic kidney disease
Porcelain aorta - Large calcium deposits in ascending aorta (the blood vessel that carries blood away from your heart)

How Is Aortic Valve Stenosis Diagnosed

The doctors may conduct several diagnostic tests and screenings like:

ECG
Echocardiogram
Cardiac MRI
Cardiac Catheterisation
CT Scan
Chest X-ray
Exercise test

According to the diagnostic test results, the doctor will identify whether a patient needs to undergo TAVI or not.

What Is The Procedure For Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI)

TAVI procedure is used to treat most complex Aortic Stenosis conditions. This procedure is either performed on children or people who are not eligible for the other surgical procedures. The various steps involved in the TAVI procedure are as under:

Before The Procedure

Preparation of Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation

The patient needs to undergo certain tests before the procedure, such as.

CT scan
Blood tests
Lung tests
X rays
Quit smoking before the surgery as it can hamper the healing process
The doctor may advise you to stop certain medications before the surgery, such as blood thinners ( warfarin, aspirin), over the counter medications, supplements, herbs, vitamins etc.
The patient needs to stop eating and drinking several hours before the surgery to prevent nausea and aspiration during the surgery.

During The Procedure

STEP 1:The area of the body where TAVI has to be performed is numbed using general anaesthetics.
STEP 2:Balloon valvuloplasty is performed using a catheter (hollow tube) with a balloon attached to one of its tips. This catheter is inserted into an artery either via the groin or by making a keyhole incision on the side of the arm, leg or chest.
STEP 3:The catheter is then directed toward the patient’s heart and positioned at the opening of the aortic valve.
STEP 4:In this step, the balloon attached to the catheter is gently inflated with the aim to make room for the placement of a new tissue valve.
STEP 5: The new tissue valve is placed in position and expanded using a balloon.
STEP 6: The balloon is then deflated and removed along with the catheter.

Finally, a new valve has replaced the damaged valve.

After The Procedure

The patient has to spend a day or two in the intensive care unit for monitoring purposes. However, the overall recovery time is around 12 weeks. After surgery, most people remain asymptomatic and start to feel better. However, they have to take blood-thinning medications for a lifetime to prevent blood clots formation.

Follow up

The patient needs to visit the hospital 1 to 2 weeks after TAVI, then after 1 month, 2-3 months and 1 year after TAVI.

What Are The Benefits Of Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI)

With TAVI procedure, the patients start to feel better right away. It has major benefits such as:

The patient feels more energetic
The patient is able to do everyday activities
The patient is able to Breathe normally
The Patient experience less pain
The patient feels less anxious

What Are The Precautions One Must Take After Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI)

Some of the major precautionary measures a patient must take after the TAVI procedure are:

Be punctual with the medication
Maintain a healthy lifestyle
Exercise daily
Keep your sugar in check
Don’t take stress or live/work in a stressful environment
Keep your blood pressure in check
Keep a tab on your cholesterol
Maintain your BMI

Are There Any Complications Involved

BLK-Max Super Speciality Hospital has a high success rate in performing Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI). However, some risk factors may arise depending on the condition of a patient. Possible complications after the procedure include:

Very Common Complications