The procedure, performed by Dr. Jorge Palazuelos, allows for the treatment of very high-risk patients without the need for further open-heart surgery.
The Comprehensive Cardiology Unit at La Luz University Hospital has achieved a new milestone in interventional cardiology by performing the first percutaneous mitral valve implantation procedure (TAVI mitral or valve-in-valve mitral) in the Spanish private healthcare sector. The procedure was performed by Dr. Jorge Palazuelos, head of the Hemodynamics and Non-Invasive Cardiology Unit at the Comprehensive Cardiology Unit of La Luz University Hospital, along with a multidisciplinary team of specialists.
The 82-year-old patient had a bioprosthetic mitral valve implanted 15 years prior that had degenerated, causing severe mitral stenosis and moderate mitral regurgitation. She also suffered from severe tricuspid regurgitation and debilitating symptoms such as fatigue, dyspnea, and swelling of the lower extremities.
Due to its high clinical complexity and the high risk involved in a new conventional surgery, the case was evaluated in a multidisciplinary medical-surgical session, where it was determined that the best therapeutic option was a percutaneous approach using a catheter.
"The evolution of interventional cardiology has completely changed the treatment of these patients. Today we can offer minimally invasive alternatives to people with a very high surgical risk, avoiding open-heart reintervention and significantly reducing associated complications," explains Dr. Jorge Palazuelos.
A minimally invasive procedure
The procedure involved implanting a new valve within the previously implanted and degenerated mitral prosthesis via a percutaneous approach through a transseptal puncture. The entire procedure was performed under local anesthesia, conscious sedation, and guidance using transesophageal echocardiography and high-precision imaging, without the need for open-chest surgery or cardiopulmonary bypass.
This type of procedure represents an important therapeutic alternative for patients who, due to their age or the presence of multiple associated diseases, present a very high risk for undergoing a second cardiac surgery.
"The possibility of repairing a degenerated mitral valve prosthesis using a catheter represents a very important advance for patients who, just a few years ago, had hardly any treatment options. With this technique, we can offer a safer, less invasive treatment with a much faster recovery," emphasizes Dr. Palazuelos.
Innovation at the service of the patient
The completion of this procedure consolidates the La Luz University Hospital and its Comprehensive Cardiology Unit as a center of reference in structural and interventional cardiology, incorporating the most advanced techniques for the treatment of complex valvular diseases.
The focus on percutaneous procedures expands treatment options for elderly patients or those with high surgical risk, improving both their quality of life and prognosis, and reducing hospitalization and recovery times.
With this first mitral TAVI implant in Spanish private healthcare, the La Luz University Hospital reaffirms its commitment to innovation, clinical excellence and the incorporation of the most advanced technologies at the service of patients.