Hinduja Healthcare Surgical receives accreditation for Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation

TAVI is an alternative for the surgery that is normally done for valve replacement and is done for people at high surgical risk 

Hinduja Healthcare Surgical (HHS) became one of the first hospitals in Mumbai/Maharashtra to get accreditation for conducting Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI), a highly specialised lifesaving cardiac procedure. TAVI is a minimally invasive procedure for treating abnormal narrowing of aortic valve known as aortic stenosis. TAVI is a US FDA approved procedure.

TAVI is an alternative for the surgery that is normally done for valve replacement and is done for people at high surgical risk due to age and other complications. In this procedure, a new valve is fixed with the help of a specialised catheter. This is done without removing the old, damaged valve and without opening the patient’s chest. Surgical valve replacement of elderly patients is a high risk process as it requires open heart surgery which is not recommended due to factors like age, other ailments, previous bypass surgeries etc.

Dr Haresh Mehta, Consultant Cardiology, Hinduja Healthcare Surgical, Khar, recently operated on an 87 years old patient at the hospital adopting the TAVI procedure. It is the latest revolutionary technology in treating heart valve defects and is better in terms of safety and efficacy.

“Aortic stenosis (abnormal narrowing of aortic valve) increases the stress and strain on the heart muscle, resulting in anxiety which in turn can lead to various symptoms like chest discomfort, shortness of breath, fatigue, lightheadedness, unconsciousness, and even sudden death. If not treated, 50 per cent of these patients can face higher risks or mortality within one to two years from the onset of symptoms”, explained Dr Mehta.

“The prevalence of aortic stenosis has a considerable impact on the elderly people in India. About 4.5 lakh patients, remain untreated in India due to treatment gap. TAVI accreditation is an accomplishment to reduce these gaps and provide best services with efficient technology. This procedure is a minimally invasive procedure and is a saviour to the patients with severe symptoms of aortic stenosis”, added Dr Mehta.