A new heart surgery technique was successfully performed and broadcast to a live international audience by NHS cardiologists at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals, as the Yorkshire trust continues to exhibit its world-class research profile.
The procedure, known as transcatheter aortic valve implementation, was streamed to a training conference attended by more than 1,000 cardiologists across the world.
TAVI is a relatively new, less invasive heart valve replacement procedure for elderly patients with aortic stenosis – a blood flow-restricting condition caused by narrow heart valves.
UK research
The procedure was performed on an 80-year-old man who agreed to participate in three research projects, including:
- the British Heart Foundation’s Protect TAVI trial looking to reduce stroke risk during TAVI;
- the UK Hydra valve registry which is assessing a new type of aortic valve for the time in the UK; and
- the multinational EASY-AS trial which is investigating the best time to operate on patients.
The patient in question was able to go home within hours of the operation, with the procedure commencing at 10:30 and discharge occurring at 18:00.
Well-orchestrated team
“Our focus was to exhibit the world-class research being done here in Sheffield and the streamlined light-touch TAVI procedure performed by our well-orchestrated specialist team of cardiologists, nurses, physiologists and radiographers which enabled our patient to go home on the very same day of his procedure after all the safety checks were complete,” said interventional cardiologist at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals, Dr Muhammad Rahman.
“Christopher [the patient], who consented to the live broadcast, had an excellent result and it was fantastic to showcase the ongoing research in Sheffield and the UK to a wider international audience.”
Dr Rahman added: “Evidence from the active research programme in our department will also help us to further care for people diagnosed with aortic stenosis with or without symptoms and minimise potential complications such as stroke during a major heart procedure.
“Trials like the EASY-AS trial are important, too, as we know that without treatment, mortality from severe aortic stenosis is worse than some cancers and will help us determine the best time for TAVI to be offered to patients.”
Image credit: Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
