Innovation in Heart Care : Improving outcomes for Heart Valve Patients
Overview : Artificial Heart valve treatment has evolved over years encouraging better outcomes and higher success rates. Heart failure being a life-threatening condition, advancement in the medical field has given patients a better odd of survival and quality life. The innovations minimize the reliance on medication and promote less invasive surgical procedures. www.cardium.in
What conditions cause heart valve damage ? Artificial valves are implanted in a person’s body when the heart valve becomes non-functional or stops functioning properly. Such a condition is referred to as valvular heart disease. • • • • • •
High blood pressure Aortic atherosclerosis Heart attack Heart failure Cardiomyopathy Coronary artery disease
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Many years of research and study has elevated us to where we are today in terms of improved valve construction and implantations. Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) is the highly advanced procedure for valve replacement in today’s world. TAVR is a minimally invasive procedure that replaces a narrowed aortic valve. It is an option for people with a high risk of complications from surgical valve replacements or who are not eligible for the same. Artificial valves are broadly classified into mechanical heart valves, bioprosthetic tissue valves and engineered tissue valves. www.cardium.in
Mechanical Heart Valve Mechanical valves are further subdivided into : 1. Caged ball valve - It was the first artificial valve in which a ball is kept inside a cage. The ball is pushed against the cage when the heart contracts and blood pressure inside the heart exceed the pressure outside the chamber, allowing the blood to flow. 2. Tilting-disc valve - It was introduced in 1969 and is a type of swing check valve made of metal ring covered with an ePTFE fabric. The disc opens when the heart beats, allowing the blood to flow and closes again to prevent the backward flow of blood. The disk is made of hard carbon material that doesn’t wear out. 3. Bileaflet valve - These are made of two semi-circular leaflets that revolve around the struts. They have a larger opening than caged ball and tilting disc which reduces the chances of blood clotting. www.cardium.in
4. Bioprosthetic Tissue Valve These walls are generally made from animal tissues and are attached to metal or polymer support. These are less likely to cause blood clots than mechanical valves and eliminates the need for lifelong anticoagulants. Though these are less durable than mechanical valves and lasts for 10-20 years. People with bioprosthetic may require another aortic replacement in their life. The Bioprosthetic valve lacks longevity right now and calcifies over time. 5. Engineered Tissue Valve The engineered tissue valve involves seeding human cells onto a scaffold. The valves are composed of human tissues known as homografts. These can be person-specific and designed to suit an individual recipient. These are a better option for older people as another replacement operation won’t be needed in that case. Tissue valves are good for people who plan to have other surgeries and can’t take blood-thinning medications. www.cardium.in
Advantages of TAVR Artificial valve replacements are expected to last for 10-30 years. It is less invasive than traditional surgery thus does not require a cut through the entire chest. A flexible tube called a catheter is guided into the artery that widens the artery for the safe placement of an artificial valve. The risks are lower in TAVR and fewer complications are associated as compared to open-heart surgery. The healing period is short and the patient is usually discharged after 48 hours. www.cardium.in