![Director, Fortis Escorts Hospital Amritsar, Deepak Narang and other doctors briefing media on TAVR procedure. Director, Fortis Escorts Hospital Amritsar, Deepak Narang and other doctors briefing media on TAVR procedure.](https://cdndailyexcelsior.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/page8-6.jpg)
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Dec 4: Fortis Escorts Hospital, Amritsar successfully performed TAVR (Transcathter Aortic Valve Replacement) on an 80-year-old lady with severe calcific stenosis and heart failure, a weak heart pump and old stroke.
TAVR is a new technique in which a valve is affected region using a needle-based access in the groin, thus avoiding major surgery. This is the new technique of choice for the very elderly or those with severe co-morbidities that make surgery high-risk.
The technique was performed on the patient by a team of doctors including Dr Arun Chopra, Dr Ravindra Rao, Dr HP Singh, Dr Deepak Kapila and others, using a latest generation valve (Medtronic Evolut Pro). The very next day, the heart condition of the patient started improving and she made an early recovery.
Deepak Narang (Facility Director) said that Aortic Stenosis is a degenerative condition that causes narrowing of the major left sided valve guarding the main blood vessel (Aorta) supplying blood to the whole body. He said surgical replacement of the diseased aortic valve (AVR-aortic valve replacement) has been the main stay of treatment until recently but a new valve has been developed now that can be delivered to the affected region using a needle-based access in the groin, called TAVR.
Narang said this was the first ever TAVR performed in the region. “We plan to establish a regular TAVR program that will be of great help to the ageing population of Punjab and surrounding areas,” he added.