TAVI: An alternative to open heart surgery

Often termed as the ailment of the octogenarians and nonagenarians, heart disease has traditionally had only one treatment option, i.e., open heart surgery. But the age of the patients makes this surgery a risky affair. Explore the benefits of TAVI, an alternative to open heart surgery.

- DR. ANKUR PHATARPEKAR

Heart disease can affect in a myriad of ways. What is commonly known is a heart attack or heart getting affected due to blockage of vessels supplying the heart. Other diseases of the heart, including valvular disease, is less known. The heart has four chambers and four valves below each chamber, which open only in one direction to prevent back-flow in the chambers, just like the valves in a cycle tube.

However, due to aging, the valves become calcified and degenerate, causing a decrease in the opening amplitude, leading to obstruction to blood egress. One such valve sitting below the main artery, i.e., the aorta, is called an aortic valve, and any obstruction to it is called aortic stenosis (AS)

However, it is primarily the disease of octogenarians and nonagenarians (individuals in their 80s and 90s. Unfortunately, until recently, only one treatment option, i.e., open heart surgery, was available in such cases. However, being elderly places these patients in the high-risk category while considering this treatment option. Besides this, other co-morbidities like kidney and lung issues would add to the risk.

TAVI: A new treatment option

Recently trans-catheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) has been developed to overcome these drawbacks of surgery where the valve is replaced via a small tube in leg arteries going up to the heart without opening the heart.