Almaty doctors replace heart valves without general anesthesia on elderly patients

Surgeons performed two high-tech aortic valve replacement procedures using the transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) method on patients, aged 72 and 77, who suffered from critical aortic valve stenosis, the healthcare department said in a statement.

The key point is that the operations were performed while the patients remained conscious, avoiding the risks of general anesthesia.

This approach significantly reduces complications and speeds up recovery, which is especially important for elderly patients with other health conditions.

In critical aortic stenosis, the heart faces severe overload due to high pressure between the left ventricle and the aorta. Without timely treatment, the heart muscle loses its ability to contract effectively.

Interventional cardiologist Orazbek Sakhov emphasized the importance of acting before the myocardium loses its recovery potential, noting that at late stages even valve replacement may not restore normal heart size and function.

The technique is minimally invasive. It was performed without requiring an open-heart surgery. Doctors inserted the valve to the heart through the femoral artery and positioned under X-ray and ultrasound guidance.

Noteworthy, the Almaty Cardiology Center has been performing such operations for over three years. More than 80 procedures have been successfully completed during this time.

It is worth reminding, Almaty performed the first deep brain stimulation surgery.