With a recent rumors regarding Elizabeth Taylor getting a mitral valve clip surgery, it is appropriate to discuss what new technologies are available which can significantly reduce the morbidity involved with valve surgeries. Up to now, if one needs to have a repair or a valve replacement, one needs to have a major surgery. The chest has to be cracked open, the heart located and cut through to find and repair the valve. Most recent advances in interventional Cardiology looks quite promising. Most of these procedures are only available through extension of research. Most are available in United States in early 2011.
First procedure to discuss is Miitral valve clip. There are certain criteria that needs to be met in order to receive this surgery. For example, the valve can not be heavily calcified making it difficult to attach the clip. The procedure involves reaching the valve through the femoral artery located in the groin much the same way the cardiologist places coronary stents in the heart. The immediate results are excellent, and patients can be back home in just few days or less. On the other hand, the actual mitral valve repair done through open chest surgery is a much more involved surgery. The two sites that are involved are UC Davis Medical Center in Northern California and Cedar
Sinai in Los Angeles for this procedure.
The percutanous Aortic valve surgery is performed in the same manner. This involves placing a preloaded valve on a balloon that can be delivered into the old stenotic aortic valve. Then the balloon is dilated. This takes a great deal of precision to be able to place this exactly in the right place. The immediate result for this valve procedure is also excellent. Performing the valve procedure in this manner can also immensely improve the morbidity associated with this
procedure compared to the open chest surgery. The aforementioned minimally invasive surgeries will be widely available by spring of 2011.
The last surgery that I would like to mention is surgery for the failing heart. It is called the Heat Mate II which is a left ventricular assist device which in essence takes over the failing heart. Congestive heart failure (CHF) in general carries a 50 percent mortality within 5 years of initial diagnosis. There are multiple well researched medications that can help improve the survival rate for CHF. When the patients are getting closer to their end stage of their disease process and the heart start to fail even with optimum medical therapy, then the option is to let go or start thinking about heart transplant. Unfortunately, not everyone is a good candidate for transplant. Heart mate II now is fully approved. It is a device where it takes over the function of the heart and pumps for the heart. The device is implanted inside the chest cavity and the tube comes out of
the upper abdomen and is attached to a battery case. A smart patient is a knowledgeable patient. Patients should always be aware of the new technology out there can help extend their lives and
be able to live longer and happier.
Dr. Manshadi is multi board certified Cardiologist who has a private practice in Stockton, California supplemented with an academic position as Associated Clinical Professor of medicine at UC Davis Department of Cardiovascular Medicine. His main area of practice is in interventional Cardiology and in Athletic Heart. He also serves as the Chair of Media Relations for American College of Cardiology for California. He has been voted as America’s Top physicians by Castle Connolly and his picture has been featured in American Airline Magazine as such. He has degree in Physiology from UC Davis followed by MD from The Chicago Medical School. He has done his training in internal Medicine and Cardiology at California Pacific Med Center in San Francisco and UC Davis in Sacramento respectively. He has lived in the Sacramento, Elk Grove, and Stockton area for the past 32 years.
Tags: Aortic valve surgery, Dr. Ramin Manshadi, Heat Mate II, mitral valve clip surgery