Senior citizen undergoes valve implantation through rare procedure

A senior citizen, who developed severe aortic stenosis (narrowing of the heart valves) has undergone an artificial valve implantation through the carotid artery at a private hospital in the city. The carotid artery is in the neck region which supplies blood to the brain, face and neck.

A senior citizen, who developed severe aortic stenosis (narrowing of the heart valves) has undergone an artificial valve implantation through the carotid artery at a private hospital in the city. The carotid artery is in the neck region which supplies blood to the brain, face and neck.

The patient had undergone a bypass surgery in the past and his heart pumping capacity had reduced. Doctors at Aster R V Hospital, where this procedure was done, claimed this is the fourth valve implantation done through this artery in India and the first in Bengaluru.

Apart from cardiac issues, the 73-year-old patient has also suffered renal failure and is undergoing regular dialysis. He was admitted with severe breathlessness and was diagnosed with severe aortic stenosis. Upon discussion with the cardiac surgeon and cardiac anesthetist, the surgical risk of complications for a Surgical Aortic Valve Replacement (SAVR) was determined to be very high. He was hence advised to undergo the Transcatheter valve replacement (TAVR) procedure, said his treating doctors - S. Venkatesh and Divakar Bhat.

“During evaluation for the same, both leg arteries were found to be heavily calcified. Hence, we decided to probe the novel option of using the arteries in the neck. Using state-of-the-art monitoring of brain oxygenation using the Near Infra-Red Spectroscopy system, throughout the procedure, we were successfully able to implant a new valve,” Dr. Bhat said.

Dr. Venkatesh said typically, the treatment of severe aortic stenosis is by replacement of the patient’s valve with an artificial or prosthetic valve, performed often by open heart surgery – SAVR. “Now, the replacement can also be done through a non-surgical procedure called TAVR, conventionally performed through the main arteries of the legs. However, in this case, the patient had hardened and blocked leg arteries, which made the surgeons opt for another route for implantation by uniquely undertaking the same through his neck vessels,” the doctor added.