Fortis Hospital Noida performs high-risk TAVR procedure on 70-year-old patient with blood flow obstruction to heart

Doctors at Fortis Hospital, Noida successfully treated a 70-year-old elderly woman with a severe obstruction in blood flow due to a narrowed heart valve. The team of doctors led by Dr Sanjeev Gera, Director, Cardiology, Fortis Hospital, Noida conducted the challenging Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) intervention that lasted for 2 hours. The patient was discharged in a stable condition after two days without any neurological and cardiac complications.

The patient had a history of recurrent heart failures along with breathlessness, lung congestion, inability to walk and fatigue. Upon admission to Fortis Noida, the patient was breathless and on the verge of collapsing, prompting immediate action in the hospital’s emergency department. An ECG, ECHO and blood test were conducted to assess her heart and valve function, which revealed severe aortic stenosis (obstruction of blood flow to heart’s valve). Initially, the patient was managed conservatively for a month with the help of intravenous drugs for heart failure. However, as her condition showed little improvement, the team of doctors decided to proceed with a high risk TAVR procedure as a last resort.

Giving details of the case, Dr Sanjeev Gera, Director, Cardiology, Fortis Hospital, Noida said, “It is crucial to note that the incidence of severe Aortic Stenosis is 1-2% after 75 years of age. In this case, the patient had a smaller valve area, hence a TAVR valve was deployed in a two-hour-long procedure under short general anaesthesia. It was a high-risk surgery as the patient had co-morbidities - chronic asthma, frailty and low heart function. If the TAVR procedure was not performed timely, the woman could have suffered sudden cardiac arrest or heart failure. Furthermore, a TAVR procedure was chosen over an open-heart surgery as conducting an open-heart surgery in this particular case would have been fatal, due to the small valve size. It is crucial to note that the incidence of severe Aortic Stenosis is 1-2% after 75 years of age in elderly population.”

Mohit Singh, Zonal Director, Fortis Hospital Noida said, “This case required a multi-disciplinary approach, considering the age, height, other comorbidities and critical condition of the patient. Despite all the odds, the patient survived, owing to the correct medical assessment and successful surgery. Clinical expertise and advanced technology are the hallmarks of Fortis Hospital Noida, and we continuously endeavor to provide highest level of care to save lives and best clinical outcomes.”