<p>Bengaluru: The new procedures in cardiac care, called Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) and Transcatheter Mitral Valve Replacement (TMVR), have recently gained traction over the traditional open heart surgery, but these come with their own challenges, mainly the cost. </p>.<p>Speaking to <em>DH</em>, Dr Shyam Sunder K R, senior consultant (Interventional Cardiology), said, “There are specific indications for these procedures. We will closely scrutinise the age of the patients, whether they have pre-conditions that put them at any kind of surgical risk, and whether their clinical findings make it optimal to choose TAVR or TMVR as compared to open-heart surgery.”</p>.<p>“As far as technology is concerned, better valves are being introduced, and there are a lot of improvements, but guidelines are specific as to when such procedures can be performed,” he said. </p>.The deadly triad of diseases: Why cancer, heart attacks and diabetes are skewing younger.<p>To perform such invasive procedures, doctors require a special set of skills and training.</p>.<p><strong>Special and advanced training</strong></p>.<p>Explaining this, Dr Sanjay Bhat said, “Doctors require special and advanced training to perform procedures like TAVR and TMVR because these are highly specialised, minimally invasive techniques that involve guiding catheters through blood vessels to the heart, which is very different from open heart surgery.”</p>.<p>“The doctors must learn specific imaging skills, device handling, and teamwork in a catheterization lab setting, and they usually undergo dedicated fellowships, hands-on practice, and proctor-guided procedures before performing them independently, ensuring patient safety and successful outcomes, as these procedures demand precision, experience, and coordination among a team of cardiologists, surgeons, and imaging specialists,” he further explained.</p>.<p>The doctors flag that the price is almost four times more expensive than the traditional open heart surgery.</p>.<p>While a typical heart surgery costs somewhere between Rs 1.5 lakh and Rs 3.5 lakh, depending on the case, TAVR and TMVR costs anywhere between Rs 8 lakh and Rs 13 lakh. </p>.<p>Dr Ravindranath Reddy D R, HOD and senior consultant (Interventional Cardiology), said, “Affordability and accessibility remain important considerations. TAVR and TMVR procedures are generally more expensive compared with conventional surgery because of the device cost.”</p>.<p>Dr Sanjay Mehrotra, senior consultant cardiologist, said, “One of the biggest benefits for patients is faster recovery. People who undergo TAVR are often able to get back on their feet within 24 to 72 hours, compared to spending weeks in the hospital after open-heart surgery. Global data also shows that these treatments are reliable in the long run.” </p>
<p>Bengaluru: The new procedures in cardiac care, called Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) and Transcatheter Mitral Valve Replacement (TMVR), have recently gained traction over the traditional open heart surgery, but these come with their own challenges, mainly the cost. </p>.<p>Speaking to <em>DH</em>, Dr Shyam Sunder K R, senior consultant (Interventional Cardiology), said, “There are specific indications for these procedures. We will closely scrutinise the age of the patients, whether they have pre-conditions that put them at any kind of surgical risk, and whether their clinical findings make it optimal to choose TAVR or TMVR as compared to open-heart surgery.”</p>.<p>“As far as technology is concerned, better valves are being introduced, and there are a lot of improvements, but guidelines are specific as to when such procedures can be performed,” he said. </p>.The deadly triad of diseases: Why cancer, heart attacks and diabetes are skewing younger.<p>To perform such invasive procedures, doctors require a special set of skills and training.</p>.<p><strong>Special and advanced training</strong></p>.<p>Explaining this, Dr Sanjay Bhat said, “Doctors require special and advanced training to perform procedures like TAVR and TMVR because these are highly specialised, minimally invasive techniques that involve guiding catheters through blood vessels to the heart, which is very different from open heart surgery.”</p>.<p>“The doctors must learn specific imaging skills, device handling, and teamwork in a catheterization lab setting, and they usually undergo dedicated fellowships, hands-on practice, and proctor-guided procedures before performing them independently, ensuring patient safety and successful outcomes, as these procedures demand precision, experience, and coordination among a team of cardiologists, surgeons, and imaging specialists,” he further explained.</p>.<p>The doctors flag that the price is almost four times more expensive than the traditional open heart surgery.</p>.<p>While a typical heart surgery costs somewhere between Rs 1.5 lakh and Rs 3.5 lakh, depending on the case, TAVR and TMVR costs anywhere between Rs 8 lakh and Rs 13 lakh. </p>.<p>Dr Ravindranath Reddy D R, HOD and senior consultant (Interventional Cardiology), said, “Affordability and accessibility remain important considerations. TAVR and TMVR procedures are generally more expensive compared with conventional surgery because of the device cost.”</p>.<p>Dr Sanjay Mehrotra, senior consultant cardiologist, said, “One of the biggest benefits for patients is faster recovery. People who undergo TAVR are often able to get back on their feet within 24 to 72 hours, compared to spending weeks in the hospital after open-heart surgery. Global data also shows that these treatments are reliable in the long run.” </p>