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‘Light touch’ heart valve replacement service offers hope to hundreds of elderly patients as 500th patient milestone nears

A new 'light touch' heart valve replacement service is enabling hundreds of patients aged 75 and over to have structural heart valve intervention without the need for a general anaesthetic or open-heart surgery 

Hundreds of elderly patients are benefiting from a pioneering ‘light touch’ heart valve replacement service.

The new, streamlined transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) service, which is being led by cardiologists and nurse specialists from Sheffield Teaching Hospitals, enables patients aged 75 and over to have heart valves replaced without the need for a general anaesthetic.

Heart specialists say the new minimally invasive service – which is about to hit its landmark 500th patient – could transform outcomes for elderly patients living with severe aortic stenosis whose advancing age, multiple health problems and frailty often mean they are unable to have conventional open-heart surgery.

TAVI is a relatively newer, less invasive, keyhole procedure which has been shown to be a viable alternative to traditional heart valve replacement surgery.

To perform TAVI, cardiologists first make a small incision in the top of the leg to guide a small tube known as a catheter through to the arteries and into the heart. The new valve can then be positioned on top of the existing faulty valve which is simply pushed aside.

For elderly patients, having TAVI under light sedation has been shown to have many benefits. This includes reducing their risk of serious complications from having a general anaesthetic and a shorter post-operative recovery time compared to open-heart surgery. Patients undergoing TAVI typically go home 2-3 days after their procedure and have a shorter recovery period.

A recent UK wide study published in Open Heart involving cardiologists from Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust showed that around 300,000 people in the UK are estimated to be living with aortic valve stenosis, a severe and potentially fatal disease, which occurs when the valve between the lower left heart chamber and the body’s main artery becomes narrowed and constricted.

Dr Muhammad A. Rahman, Interventional Cardiologist at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: “TAVI is a relatively newer advancement in heart valve replacement treatments so we don’t yet know how the long-term benefits compare to open-heart surgery beyond 10 years, but what we do know is that if a TAVI is given to elderly patients, it can add another 10 to 15 quality years to their life whereas if we don’t treat it, patients are unlikely to survive for more than 1-2 years. The development of this service is great news for elderly patients with severe aortic stenosis, as we can potentially change the trajectory of their lives through ‘light touch’ TAVI.”

Dr Kenneth Morgan, Consultant Cardiologist at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: “Aortic stenosis is a common and severe condition, which we believe is far more prevalent than currently recognised as symptoms only appear when the condition is at its most advanced – and potentially most fatal – stage, so we are delighted to launch this new streamlined service.”

The TAVI service at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals has been in place since 2017, and is currently led by Dr Javaid Iqbal. The team comprises of highly skilled interventional cardiologists including Dr Javaid Iqbal, Dr Kenny Morgan and Dr Muhammad Aetesam-ur-Rahman and a senior nurse specialist, Melanie Neville.

Patients suitable to undergo TAVI will be assessed and reviewed by a multi-disciplinary team.

John Stoner, who underwent a ‘light touch’ TAVI (transcatheter aortic valve implantation) at the Northern General Hospital in May, said having the procedure “means a lot” at his age.

“I still can’t believe how painless it all was. I could feel the difference straight away. I’m nearly 90, but an extension to my life, at my age means a lot. I’ve been pretty lucky all my life, so the outcome of this, it’s just the icing on the cake.”

To read his story in full click here.

ENDS