87-year-old undergoes heart valve replacement

A 87-year-old man from Mysuru who was suffering from a complex heart condition got a  fresh lease of life owing to TAVR (Trans-catheter Aortic Valve Replacement), a rare procedure performed by the heart team of Fortis Hospital. 

The team comprising senior cardiologists, cardiac surgeons and cardiac anesthetists under the leadership of  Chairman, Department Of Cardio-Vascular Science, Dr Vivek Jawali, performed TAVR on Subba Rao on February 8.

The procedure was conducted in over an hour and the patient was discharged on February 13.

Addressing a press conference in the City on Tuesday, Consultant Interventional Cardiologist from  Fortis, Cunningham Road, Dr Gopi said: “Rao was wheeled into the cath-lab on the day of the operation and after anaesthesia, a small incision was put on the groin and a valve was mounted on a wire which was inserted into the artery of his leg. This valve was then deployed on the diseased aortic valve in the heart. In a day’s time the patient was able to move around without much stress.”

Dr Jawali said that because of multiple diseases and frail health, the traditional heart surgery posed a very high degree of risk to the patient’s life and hence the doctors at the hospital suggested that TAVR procedure.