As open heart surgery poses vital risk in elderly patients, Near East University Hospital Heart Center performs nonsurgical trans-catheter heart valve therapies to correct heart valve disorders. A male patient 82 years of age, who admitted to the NEU Hospital Heart Center with narrowed aortic valve complaint, was examined for his suitability for treatment procedures. As open heart surgery was considered risky due to his age, nonsurgical trans-catheter aortic valve insertion (TAVI) was performed to insert an artificial valve in the narrowed aortic valve by using a catheter (thin flexible tube) via femoral artery in groin.

Nonsurgical treatment for narrowed aortic valve through TAVI therapy
The 82 year old patient who admitted to the NEU Hospital Cancer Center with narrowed aortic valve complaint was examined by a team of cardiologists for his suitability for treatment procedures at the cardiology policlinic. After performing all respective tests, the team concluded that open heart surgery might pose vital risk for the patient and they decided to carry out TAVI, a novel nonsurgical procedure. By performing TAVI, an artificial valve was inserted in the patient’s narrowed aortic valve by using a catheter through the large artery in the groin.

TAVI is a novel therapy procedure used for the treatment of severe aortic stenosis to restore the health of patients who are considered risky for open heart surgery

Aortic stenosis in patients with no surgical risk can be treated by opening the chest to replace the aortic valve. Surgical replacement of the aortic valve reduces symptoms and improves survival in patients with aortic stenosis and in the absence of serious coexisting conditions; the procedure is associated with lower operative complications. Patients, who are not considered good candidates for surgical procedure due to their advanced age or coexisting conditions such as renal failure, advanced pulmonary disease or previous cardiac surgery, can't undergo an open heart surgery as it poses fatal risk. For these patients, trans-catheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) therapy, which is a novel procedure, in which a bio-prosthetic valve is inserted through a catheter and implanted within the narrowed aortic valve, is a nonsurgical and less invasive worthwhile alternative procedure. The use of TAVI for the treatment of narrowed aortic valve in patients, who are at high surgical risk, is growing rapidly across the world as there is evidence-based clinical data to substantiate the incremental benefits of the procedure over current standard therapies. Besides, it is effective in treating the patient in a shorter time and prolonging the life span.

Prof. Dr. Hamza Duygu: “The most important advantage of TAVI, which is performed under local anesthesia, is that the patient can be treated without any need of surgery and can be discharged within a very short period of time”

Touching upon the commitment of the Near East University Hospital in providing the patients with the most advanced treatment options without compromising from quality and patient’s safety, Prof. Dr. Hamza Duygu, the Head of the Department of Cardiology, delivered information about TAVI therapy: “TAVI is a novel and nonsurgical procedure to treat narrowed aortic valve in patients with high surgical risk. TAVI is performed through a catheter that usually inserted in the femoral artery in the groin to deliver a fully collapsible replacement valve in the aortic valve's place. Once the new valve is expanded, it pushes the old valve leaflets out of the way and the tissue in the replacement valve takes over the job of regulating blood flow. This procedure can take maximum two hours. 24 hours after the procedure, the patient can be referred to normal service. The procedure usually requires 2-3 day hospital stay. Then, the patient is discharged unless any medical problem is experienced. TAVI is an angiogram-like procedure in terms of fast recovery, and shorter hospital stay" said he.