Treatments
Valve disease: TAVI and percutaneous repair
Aortic stenosis and mitral regurgitation without opening the chest: days not weeks.
Calcified aortic stenosis and severe mitral regurgitation cause progressive breathlessness, syncope and congestive heart failure. For decades the only solution was open surgery with sternotomy, prohibitive for many older or frail patients.
Today transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) and percutaneous mitral repair allow catheter-guided valve treatment through the femoral artery, under conscious sedation in many centres. Hospital stay falls from weeks to days and surgical mortality in geriatric patients drops substantially.
Main risks are paravalvular leak, vascular access complications, conduction disorders that may require a pacemaker, and periprocedural stroke. The choice between TAVI and conventional surgery depends on age, surgical risk and valve anatomy, and should be made by a multidisciplinary valve team.
Device costs make these procedures expensive even in affordable destinations: the range is EUR 20,000 to 35,000, with ten to fourteen day stays. Singapore, Germany and the United States concentrate the most recognised interventional cardiologists and advanced hybrid theatres.
At medviajes we compare accredited centres with structured valve programmes, clarify which device the quote includes and organise travel and a safe return. The indication must be set by a qualified cardiology team.
General information, sources and clear limitations. No guide replaces a medical assessment.
This content is informational and does not replace advice from a healthcare professional. Always consult your doctor before making decisions about your health.
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