The Institute of Cardiology, Hospital 19-8 (Ministry of Public Security) has just successfully performed the first 2 cases of aortic valve replacement via catheter (TAVI) for patients with dense aortic valve stenosis, opening up more effective treatment opportunities for elderly patients at high risk of surgery.
According to Prof. Dr. Pham Manh Hung - Director of the Institute of Cardiology, Hospital 19-8, the life expectancy of the population is increasing, and cardiovascular diseases due to degeneration in the elderly are increasingly common. Among them, aortic stenosis is one of the most dangerous valve diseases because of its silent progression but can cause serious consequences if not detected and treated promptly.
The main cause of the disease today is the degeneration and calcification of the heart valve with age. The disease usually appears in people over 65 years old and the incidence rate increases significantly in the group over 75 years old.
Aortic valve stenosis usually progresses for many years without obvious symptoms. When signs such as difficulty breathing during labor, chest tightness, dizziness or fainting appear, patients are often in a severe stage.
Severe aortic valve stenosis is likened to a bottleneck in the circulatory system. If left untreated, patients are at risk of heart failure, dangerous arrhythmia, repeated hospitalization, and even sudden death," said Prof. Dr. Pham Manh Hung.
Previously, the main treatment method was heart valve replacement surgery with open surgery. However, many elderly patients or patients with underlying conditions such as kidney failure, chronic lung disease, diabetes or previous heart surgeries often face many risks when performing this method.
The advent of the aortic valve replacement technique via catheter (TAVI) has created a new step forward in the treatment of valve diseases. With this technique, doctors deliver the new biological valve to the damaged valve site through a catheter system, usually accessed from the femoral artery. The new valve will be discharged right inside the old, narrowed valve, helping to quickly restore normal blood flow.
According to cardiologists, the outstanding advantage of TAVI is to reduce invasiveness compared to traditional surgery, reduce pain, shorten hospital stay and help patients recover quickly. Many cases can walk after 1-2 days and be discharged after only a few days of treatment.
Currently, the TAVI indication is not only for patients at very high risk of surgery but has been expanded to many other subjects thanks to scientific evidence and international research data.
According to Prof. Dr. Pham Manh Hung, Vietnam is currently assessed by the international cardiovascular community as one of the fastest growing countries in structural cardiovascular intervention in Southeast Asia. TAVI technology has been and is being transferred to many medical facilities across the country, contributing to improving the quality of treatment for complex valve diseases.
Experts recommend that people, especially those over 65 years old, should have regular cardiovascular check-ups if symptoms appear such as shortness of breath when exerting themselves, chest tightness, reduced mobility, dizziness or fainting occur. Echocardiography is a simple, painless and highly valuable method in early detection of aortic valve stenosis.
Statistics show that about 12.4% of people over 75 years old have aortic valve stenosis, of which 3.4% have severe aortic valve stenosis. Notably, the mortality rate within 2 years can be up to 50-68% if the patient has symptoms but the valve is not replaced in time.
