Dubai: A new technique to create aortic heart valve that was being whetted for ten years and was being used in aortic heart valve repair in children is now being used to repair aortic heart valves in adults by a surgeon of the Royal Brompton and Harefiled Hospital (RBHH).
In the UAE, nearly 38 per cent deaths are attributed to cardiovascular disease (CVD) which is the second largest cause of fatality here. Faulty aortic valves are one of the commonest causes of CVD. This can be either congenital or due to ageing. The Ozaki technique developed by Japanese heart surgeon Sheigieyuki Ozaki holds out a great promise.
Providing live demonstration of the technique at Arab Health 2018, Dr Cesare Quattro from RRBH told Gulf News: “The Ozaki technique involves using a piece of the pericardium (outer covering) of the patient’s heart. We cut out a piece and then in a bespoke procedure tailor make a perfect valve and sew it in three leaves on to the inner walls of the aorta. Usually bovine material is used and in many cases mechanical valves are used. In case of animal material, the life of the valve is only eight-10 years while in case of mechanical valves, patients have to be given blood thinners which increase their risk of haemorrhaging. Replacing artificial or animal material with the bio material, gives this valve a longer life as it is compatible with the patient increasing its chance of success.
Dr Quattro, who has conducted six aortic valve replacement surgeries in the UK, demonstrated the procedure live and added that surgeons from around the world were now trying to learn this new procedure.