Durdans Heart Centre performs five successful TAVI cardiac procedures for the first time in SL
Source:Island
Durdans Heart Centre has reached a landmark by performing five successful TAVI (Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation) cardiac procedures, while the patients were under local anaesthesia, for the first time in Sri Lanka.
Dr. Pandula Athauda-Arachchi became the first Sri Lankan, fully independent specialist to have implanted TAVI valves under this procedure. He is also credited with implanting devices in t0wo different platforms and performing Sri Lanka’s first TAVI for morphologically abnormal bicuspid valves as well as the normal tricuspid valves.
The aortic valve plays a key role in the body’s blood pumping mechanism. It’s failure causes chaos in all the vital organs. Factors such as age-related wear and tear or defects from birth can cause the aortic valve to narrow, restricting blood flow which deprives the rest of the body of oxygen.
Dr. Athuada-Arachchi explained that the Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI), with meticulous pre-planning, enabled him to replace the valve within 90 minutes in certain cases. Despite operating on high-risk individuals, it reduces the risks associated with open-heart surgery and general anaesthesia. It involves carefully choosing and placement of a balloon-expandable (MyVal or Edwards) or self-expanding (Medtronic Evolut™ R) transcatheter aortic heart valve after precise crushing off of the diseased valve leaflets.
Every year, many such patients who need an aortic valve replacement, are deemed to be of high risk, will be turned down for open-heart aortic valve replacement surgery and eventually end up with prolonged heart failure or sudden death.
Due to innovation and progress in the medical industry and skilled medical specialists over the last few years, this unmet need for high-risk valve replacement has become simpler and safer with the use of TAVI.
The procedure is performed by inserting a catheter with the valve into the body through a small incision and navigating it to the affected valve, the patient remains fully conscious during the procedure, which only lasts about 90 minutes. TAVI allows for a shorter recovery time, mobilisation within 24 hrs and reduces the risk of infection, stroke, need for dependence on ventilators. Typically, despite their age or multiple medical issues, patients can be discharged from the hospital in three days.
Recently, TAVI was performed on two elderly patients at the Durdans Heart Centre.
