{"id":44511,"date":"2025-04-30T12:16:45","date_gmt":"2025-04-30T10:16:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/semmelweis.hu\/english\/?p=44511"},"modified":"2025-04-30T12:17:30","modified_gmt":"2025-04-30T10:17:30","slug":"single-puncture-heart-valve-replacement-2000th-tavi-surgery-performed-at-semmelweis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/semmelweis.hu\/english\/2025\/04\/single-puncture-heart-valve-replacement-2000th-tavi-surgery-performed-at-semmelweis\/","title":{"rendered":"Single-puncture heart valve replacement \u2013 2000th TAVI surgery performed at Semmelweis"},"content":{"rendered":"
The 2000th transcatheter aortic valve implantation surgery (TAVI) was successfully performed in an 86-year-old female patient with aortic valve stenosis at Semmelweis University’s V\u00e1rosmajor Heart and Vascular Center. Over the past decade, the center has seen a dynamic increase in the number of these procedures performed through the blood vessels, without opening the chest. 350 such catheter interventions are performed annually, providing the only life-saving and life-enhancing solution for many elderly heart patients.<\/div>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

The first transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) was performed in 2011 at the V\u00e1rosmajor Heart and Vascular Center.<\/p>\n

“We launched the program with Professor K\u00e1lm\u00e1n H\u00fcttl. At that time, this was considered a more complicated operation, and vascular surgeons were needed in every case, so we could only perform one to two operations a day. However, thanks to technical progress and the broadening range of indications, we are now able to perform up to seven TAVI surgeries a day,\u201d emphasized Dr. B\u00e9la Merkely, Rector of Semmelweis University and Director of the V\u00e1rosmajor Heart and Vascular Center, who \u2013 as with all implantations in the past ten years \u2013 performed the 2000th intervention together with Dr. Levente Moln\u00e1r, head of the structural intervention program. At present, 350 TAVI surgeries are performed every year, and we intend to increase this number even further, so that the 3000th intervention could be achieved in two years,” the rector added.<\/p>\n

TAVI is the only solution for many elderly patients over 75 with heart valve disease, as it avoids open-chest heart surgery, which is significantly more demanding and carries a serious risk for patients over a certain age.<\/p>\n

\n

During the procedure, the artificial valve is inserted through the skin, most often through the femoral artery, using a catheter almost one and a half meters long. In most cases, this is performed under local anesthesia, allowing the doctor to converse with the patient while locating the ideal position using an X-ray beam. Next, the valve is opened to secure the frame in place of the narrowed, calcified valve.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

In our experience, TAVI surgery saves lives and brings significant improvements in our patients\u2019 quality of life, who will feel physically and mentally fresher, will be able to go shopping on their own again, or even go on a hike or drive a car,” said Dr. B\u00e9la Merkely.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Dr. Levente Moln\u00e1r emphasized that it is thanks to true teamwork and the close cooperation of colleagues that they can perform such a high number of TAVI interventions, with practically all disciplines involved in the work, from organization through preparation to patient management. Most patients undergoing surgery are over 75, but TAVI is also recommended for high-risk patients aged 65 to 75.<\/p>\n

The 2000th TAVI surgery at the V\u00e1rosmajor Heart and Vascular Center was performed on an 86-year-old woman, who was discharged from the clinic on the fifth day following an uneventful clinical course, informed Dr. Levente Moln\u00e1r.<\/p>\n\r\n [slb_exclude]\r\n

\r\n
\r\n \r\n\t\t\t\t
\"\"<\/a><\/div>\r\n <\/span>\r\n\r\n <\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t\t
\r\n
\r\n\t\t\t\t\t

Gallery<\/h3>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t
\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
6<\/span>images<\/div>\r\n <\/div> <\/div>\r\n \r\n\t\t\t\t\t
\"\"<\/a><\/div>\r\n <\/span>\r\n \r\n\t\t\t\t\t
\"\"<\/a><\/div>\r\n <\/span>\r\n\r\n <\/div>\r\n\r\n <\/div>\r\n\r\n
\r\n \"\"\r\n <\/a><\/div><\/span>
\r\n \"\"\r\n <\/a><\/div><\/span>
\r\n \"\"\r\n <\/a><\/div><\/span>\r\n <\/div>\r\n\r\n [\/slb_exclude]\r\n\t\n
\n

Aortic stenosis, or narrowing of the aortic valve, is the most common heart valve disease, whose incidence increases with age. The underlying cause is degenerative calcification, which causes the valves to narrow, making it harder for the heart chamber to pump blood through them. Valve malfunction may be indicated by fatigue, choking, weakness, shortness of breath, and in more severe cases, loss of consciousness or even sudden cardiac death.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

During the celebration to mark the 2000th surgery at the clinic, Rector Dr. B\u00e9la Merkely and Dr. Levente Moln\u00e1r thanked the colleagues involved in preparing and performing the TAVI interventions.<\/p>\n

P\u00e1lma Dobozi
\nTranslation: Judit Szabados-D\u0151tsch
\nPhotos by B\u00e1lint Barta \u2013 Semmelweis University<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This provides the only life-saving and life-enhancing solution for many elderly heart patients. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":102255,"featured_media":44519,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[129,286],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-44511","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health","category-x-nyitolap"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/semmelweis.hu\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44511","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/semmelweis.hu\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/semmelweis.hu\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/semmelweis.hu\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/102255"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/semmelweis.hu\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=44511"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/semmelweis.hu\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44511\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":44520,"href":"https:\/\/semmelweis.hu\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44511\/revisions\/44520"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/semmelweis.hu\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/44519"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/semmelweis.hu\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=44511"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/semmelweis.hu\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=44511"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/semmelweis.hu\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=44511"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}