People with severe aortic stenosis, a condition where the heart’s aortic valve narrows and restricts blood flow, can already undergo a less invasive and faster procedure compared to traditional open-heart surgery, according to St. Luke’s Medical Center (SLMC).
The procedure, called Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR), is a minimally invasive treatment in which a diseased aortic valve is replaced with a bioprosthetic valve to restore proper blood flow. The new valve is delivered through a catheter, usually inserted via the patient’s groin or wrist, and the entire procedure may take less than an hour.
SLMC recently celebrated the completion of its over 300th TAVR procedure, one of the first in the country since the program began in 2012, led by Dr. Fabio Enrique B. Posas.
“Unlike the old surgical procedures, we do these with a beating heart,” Dr. Posas, head of SLMC’s Center for Structural Heart and Vascular Interventions, told reporters on Wednesday. “In most cases, we don’t use general anesthesia and there’s no breathing tube.”
“In general, whenever we can, we perform the procedure without any cuts — what we call fully percutaneous,” he added.
Dr. Posas said this approach makes TAVR less invasive and safer for high-risk patients, particularly elderly individuals and those with multiple comorbidities who are diagnosed with aortic stenosis.
SLMC reported a success rate of about 97% for TAVR procedures, with a mortality rate of 1.67%, usually involving patients who are already critically ill, Mr. Posas said.
Recovery after TAVR typically takes less than a week, although this may vary depending on the patient’s condition.
Jun Gil, 83, chairman of Executive Edge, Inc., and SLMC’s 300th TAVR patient, said he felt significantly better after undergoing the procedure and was discharged after six days.
“I feel like a new person already. I feel good. I don’t have chest pain anymore, and I don’t hear any murmur in my chest,” Mr. Gil told reporters on the sidelines of the event.
While TAVR is less invasive than open-heart surgery, Dr. Posas clarified that it is not a complete replacement for open heart surgical valve repair, but rather an additional option for older and high-risk patients.
He noted that open-heart surgery may still be more suitable for younger and healthier patients, as surgically implanted valves tend to last longer. TAVR valves may require repeat procedures after 15 to 20 years, he said.
Apart from TAVR and other minimally invasive treatments, SLMC said it is also looking to expand its cardiac services through the integration of robotic-assisted heart surgeries. — Edg Adrian A. Eva
