Just weeks earlier, the patient had been fully independent, walking on his own and managing daily life comfortably. However, repeated heart failure episodes rapidly caused frailty and loss of mobility
Image for representational purpose only. Photo Courtesy: File pic
A 94-year-old patient suffering from repeated heart failure was successfully treated by Thane doctors with a Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI) at the hospital.
The patient was admitted under Dr Nitin Burkule, consultant – Interventional Cardiologist, at Jupiter Hospital. Due to severe narrowing of the heart valve, the patient had been hospitalised twice within a month with breathlessness, weakness, and extreme fatigue.
Just weeks earlier, the patient had been fully independent, walking on his own and managing daily life comfortably. However, repeated heart failure episodes rapidly caused frailty and loss of mobility.
Explaining the complexity of the case, Dr Burkule said, “Age was not the biggest challenge. The real concern was frailty. Until recently, the patient was completely independent, but heart failure led to sudden weakness and decline.”
The family was counselled about both options — medical management and TAVI. Doctors explained that in severe aortic valve narrowing, medicines alone often result in poor survival and very low quality of life.
“With conservative treatment, prognosis in such cases can be extremely poor,” Dr Burkule added. “The patient and family wanted better quality of life, which guided the decision.”
The TAVI procedure was performed by Dr Pratik Sane, consultant – Interventional Cardiologist at the hospital, along with the structural heart team.
The procedure was done under local anaesthesia and conscious sedation with the support of cardiac anaesthetist Dr Mahesh Thorat, ensuring minimal stress on the elderly patient.
TAVI is a minimally invasive procedure where a new heart valve is placed through a small tube inserted via a blood vessel in the leg, avoiding open-heart surgery.
Dr Sane said, “TAVI was developed for elderly and high-risk patients. It is safer, less invasive, and allows faster recovery compared to open-heart surgery.”
Following the procedure, the patient showed clear improvement, with easier breathing and better mobility, regaining a sense of independence.
Highlighting the broader message, Dr Sane added, “This case shows that age alone should never stop someone from receiving advanced treatment. What matters is the patient’s overall health, mental alertness, and desire to live better.”
The doctors at the hospital emphasised that age alone should not prevent patients from receiving advanced cardiac treatment when carefully evaluated.
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