Pune: A team of cardiologists at Manipal Hospitals in Kharadi has successfully performed a rare lifesaving heart procedure on a 70-year-old woman with severe aortic valve narrowing and multiple health issues.The surgery was performed on Aug 5, and the patient was discharged from the hospital on Aug 9.The treating doctors said instead of performing traditional open-heart surgery, which posed significant risks for the patient, they chose a less invasive procedure, known as transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). “What made this case particularly noteworthy was the use of a rare and intricate technique called Balloon-Assisted BASILICA. This method involves a highly complex step — using a balloon to help split the patient’s native valve leaflet, ensuring that the newly implanted valve does not obstruct blood flow to the coronary arteries,” a doctor said.Dr Tanmai Yermal Jain, consultant interventional cardiologist at Manipal Hospitals, Kharadi, said, “Symptomatic severe aortic stenosis in a 70-year-old patient indicated aortic valve replacement surgery. This was a high-risk case due to the patient’s age, comorbidities and increased chances of coronary artery obstruction. The patient’s cardiovascular anatomy presented additional challenges, including narrow sinuses of Valsalva, calcified valve leaflets, and unusually low-lying coronary arteries. These factors heightened the risk of coronary artery obstruction during the transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) procedure.”The doctors then decided to perform the Balloon-Assisted BASILICA technique to reduce the risk, followed by TAVI. “This procedure uses electric guide wires with balloon support to intentionally split the damaged valve leaflet, allowing blood to flow freely and preventing the leaflets from obstructing coronary artery flow. A new aortic valve was then implanted at the site of the damaged valve. This complicated procedure was performed through the leg without any external stitches. The patient was mobilised the next day and safely discharged on the fourth day,” Dr Jain added.
