The University Medical Centre in Ho Chi Minh City has successfully performed the 100th transcatheter aortic valve implantation or TAVI, marking a new milestone in the treatment of heart valve disease in Vietnam.

Surgeons at the HCM City University Medical Centre perform a TAVI procedure.

TAVI is a minimally invasive treatment that enables the replacement of a diseased aortic valve without open heart surgery.

It can help reduce chest pain, shortness of breath and other symptoms of aortic valve stenosis.

Speaking at a ceremony to celebrate the success of 100 TAVI procedures on October 16, Prof. Dr. Truong Quang Binh, chairman of the Scientific Council at the University Medical Centre HCM City, said that for years surgeons have used open aortic valve replacement (SAVR) as a reliable treatment option for aortic valve disease.

However, for elderly patients and people who are not well enough to have open heart surgery to replace their diseased aortic valves, TAVI is the optimal choice, Binh said.

The benefits of TAVI include less pain and blood loss, lower risk of complications from heart surgery, and shorter recovery time, he said.

Most patients go home three to five days after a TAVI procedure, he said.

The procedure significantly improves quality of life and reduces mortality and complications, he added.

Assoc Prof Dr Nguyen Hoang Dinh, deputy director of the hospital, said that the hospital's goal is to develop a 'Heart Valve Centre of Excellence' that meets international standards for the treatment of heart valve disease.

After more than 10 years of continued learning and improvement, doctors at the hospital have mastered the advanced technique, Dinh said.

The new milestone lays a firm foundation for pursuing its mission as a university hospital – treatment, training and scientific research, he said.

It is estimated that in Vietnam there are about 100,000-150,000 people living with aortic valve disease.

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