India is overburdened with cases of aortic stenosis, a condition wherein the aortic valve narrows, and blood cannot flow normally from the heart to other body parts. Over the past decade, there has been a gradual rise in the number of deaths attributed to calcific aortic valve disease in India. While this is a worrying condition, the best revelation is that the cure for aortic stenosis is no longer under the carpet!
What is the Treatment for Aortic Stenosis?
Firstly, if the condition is very mild, surgery becomes unnecessary. The doctor usually recommends medications or lifestyle changes for aortic stenosis treatment.
However, if the case is severe, healthcare professionals can access several surgical and non-surgical procedures to treat the condition.
Aortic valve replacement surgery involves removing the faulty valve from the heart through open chest surgery or a less invasive procedure. The defective valve is replaced with a new valve made from mechanical parts or tissues from animals or humans.
Balloon valvuloplasty is a less invasive procedure whereby doctors use a catheter to insert a balloon into the narrowed valve. This method helps improve symptoms of aortic stenosis when valve replacement surgery isn't an option.
TAVR, or transcatheter aortic valve replacement, is a newer and less invasive way to replace a damaged aortic valve. Instead of open-heart surgery, doctors use a catheter to insert a new valve into place, avoiding the need for traditional surgery in many patients. The initial successful attempt in India, involving a woman in her eighties, was recorded in 2011.