Jaipur, February, 2020.

 Heart is one of the most precious organs of the body that holds the key to life. Its well-functioning ensures overall health. However, sometimes discrepancies set in and bring in several disorders. One of such disorders is Aortic Stenosis, which occurs when the heart's aortic valve narrows. This narrowing prevents the valve from opening fully, which reduces or blocks blood flow from one’s heart into the main artery to one’s body (aorta) and onward to the rest of your body.

As per a study, the mortality rate of patients with symptomatic aortic stenosis is at 50%. Patients who develop severe aortic stenosis symptoms may die within an average of at two years if they do not have their aortic valve replaced. Though, Aortic Stenosis usually occurs in the 6th or 7th decade of one’s life due to a congenital flaw, it may occur earlier. One such uncommon situation surfaced when a twenty-eight-year-old Swati (name changed) reached to Dr. Ravinder Singh Rao, and detected with a bi-cuspid aortic valve (a congenital defect) which was severely stenosed and she was symptomatic too.

On coming across the situation, Dr. Ravinder Singh Rao, MD, DM, FACC, Head Complex Angioplasty & TAVI Program, Chief Interventional Cardiologist, Jaipur said, “In a normal situation she (Swati) would have been suggested a surgical valve replacement (SAVR). However, given her weak heart condition and most importantly, since she was in her third Trimester of pregnancy, surgery was not an option.”

Adding further, Dr. Rao pointed, “More so, the Mother-to-be (Swati) was carrying her fourth child post three consecutive unsuccessful pregnancies. Therefore, with no surgical options to treat her heart condition, which was worsening with every passing day, I decided to opt for Transcatheter Aortic Heart Valve Replacement (TAVR).”

Speaking on his decision to opt for Transcatheter Aortic Heart Valve Replacement (TAVR) in the right earnest, Dr. Rao said, “With more than five specialty Doctors inside the Cath Lab and we successfully replaced the valve on 3^rd Oct 2020 in a two and a half hours of sensitive procedure with the patient being fully conscious throughout. This success was indeed a matter of joy for the entire surgical team.”

The real ‘Miracle’ happened when the patient (Swati) delivered a healthy baby girl on 6^th Nov’ 2020. And here, the success of the Transcatheter Aortic Heart Valve Replacement multiplied several times both – for Dr Rao & his team and for the patient (Swati) and her family members.