Affiliated to the Kerala University of Health Sciences
Thrissur Government Medical College has replaced a heart valve using a state-of-the-art system without opening the heart. The valve was replaced in a 74-year-old housewife from Akkikavu. Replacing the valve without the complications of surgery is very beneficial for patients. This treatment, which is only done in a few hospitals in Kerala, was performed for the first time at Thrissur Medical College. This treatment is available at Thiruvananthapuram, Kottayam and Kozhikode Medical Colleges. Health Minister Veena George congratulated the entire team members of the medical college who saved the patient's life through successful innovative treatment.
A 74-year-old woman came to the Medical College Cardiology OP with symptoms such as wheezing, shortness of breath, chest pain, and occasional fainting. Subsequent tests revealed that the aortic valve inside her heart was severely narrowed. When the heart pumps the required blood to the body, it has to pass through the aortic valve. Therefore, if that valve narrows, the heart cannot pump enough blood to all parts of the body. The main treatment for this is surgery, which involves opening the chest and heart, cutting out the narrowed valve, and inserting an artificial valve. Although this patient was also recommended for such treatment, she could not do it due to her advanced age and physical disability. Therefore, the non-surgical treatment of TAVR (TRANS CATHETER AORTIC VALVE REPLACEMENT) was decided upon after discussion with the patient and relatives.
TAVR treatment involves passing a tube called a catheter through a blood vessel in the leg without opening the chest or heart, using a balloon to expand the narrowed valve, and then inserting an artificial valve into the heart through another catheter tube. During the treatment, there is a risk of the patient's life being at risk, such as a ruptured blood vessel, cardiac arrest, blockage of the blood vessel to the heart, or dislocation of the artificial valve. Therefore, great care is required during the treatment.
The treatment was more complicated as the aortic valve of this patient was congenitally defective and had thickened with calcium deposits. After taking all precautions to avoid any risks, the head of the cardiology department, Dr. Karunadas, doctors Antony Pathadan, Bijilesh, Harikrishna, Nithin, and doctors from the cardiology department, Amminikutty, Arun Varghese, Athira, and Sreelakshmi, successfully completed the treatment in about three hours. Dr. Shafiq Mattummal also assisted in the treatment. Cath lab technicians Ansia, Amrutha, and nurses Beena Paulose, Rajani, and Meethu also participated in this. Dr. Ashraf from the cardiac surgery department was ready to perform immediate surgery if necessary. Tests conducted after the treatment revealed that the valve was functioning very well. The patient is recovering well.
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