New technique to replace aortic aortic valve

Ho Chi Minh City University of Medicine and Pharmacy Hospital doctors successfully applied aortic aortic valve regeneration technique, also called Ozaki. This technique is evaluated as a step in surgery for patients with aortic valve problems.

Dr. Vo Tuan Anh, Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, said the father of the method is Japanese professor Ozaki. He pioneered in taking the patient's pericardium to recreate their own heart valves . This heart valve is reconstructed from a part of the patient's body so the tolerability is better, the shelf life of the valve is longer than that of mechanical or biological valves. "The valve itself has a natural valve-like structure, so the blood flow through the valve is less obstructed than that of a mechanical valve or biological valve," the doctor said.

The patient was replaced with aortic aortic valve by himself at Ho Chi Minh City University of Medicine and Pharmacy.(Photo: TT).

With the Ozaki method, patients do not have to take anticoagulants for a lifetime, reducing the risk of bleeding and artificial valve infection, without the need to 'live in hospital'. According to Professor Ozaki's research, in the group of young patients, the success rate and no re-surgery after 10 years up to 95-98%. This rate is 85% in patients with replacement of biological valves.

According to Associate Professor Nguyen Hoang Dinh, Deputy Director of Heart Center, Head of Cardiovascular Surgery, abnormalities of aortic valve such as aortic valve stenosis, aortic valve opening is often severe and curing. complex therapy. Previously, when it was necessary to replace artificial valves, the patients had two options: mechanical valves and biological valves. Mechanical valves have the advantage of long-term use, do not need to be replaced, but patients need to go to the hospital for regular re-examination and use anticoagulants for life. Patients face the risk of complications due to the use of anticoagulants such as mechanical valve jam, cerebral hemorrhage, gastrointestinal hemorrhage, internal hemorrhage, arthritis .

Patients with replacement of biological valves originating from animals do not need to use anticoagulants continuously, but after 10 to 15 years the valve will fail, needing surgery to replace the new valve.

This technique has been applied in more than 50 countries around the world. Especially suitable for patients who are pregnant women, children in the development stage, patients do not want to depend on anticoagulants .

From 2017 up to now, doctors from Ho Chi Minh City University of Medicine and Pharmacy have successfully performed aortic pericardial valve surgery for 10 cases, at least three years old. The average cost for each shift in itself is about VND 80 million after deducting health insurance, saving at least VND 20 million compared to conventional aortic valve replacement techniques.

To limit the size of the incision line, doctors use less invasive techniques combined with the Ozaki method. Instead of having surgery along the sternum, doctors use endoscopic techniques to remove the pericardium with an incision only about 6 cm long. As a result, patients reduce pain and less blood loss, without having to cut the entire sternum as the classic Ozaki method.

Dr. Cao Dang Khang expects this technique to provide better treatment opportunities for children with aortic valve disease. Previously, the appointment of changing valves was very limited for children because the artificial valve ring made the natural valve ring not grow with the heart of the child, often narrowed as the child grew up. With the Ozaki technique, the doctor can use the patient's pericardium to form an artery valve of the right size to replace the broken valve. However, this technique is quite new, so doctors continue to study to improve and consider the expansion and compatibility of the valve as the child grows.