Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation Treatment in India

Vivaan Williams, 78, is a retired...

Vivaan Williams, 78, is a retired history professor who lives with his wife in a quiet suburb. He was an avid gardener and enjoyed long walks, but over the past year, he became increasingly short of breath. Simple tasks like getting the mail left him gasping, and he had to give up his beloved garden. His primary care doctor heard a heart murmur and referred him to a cardiologist. An echocardiogram revealed severe aortic stenosis. The cardiologist explained that Vivaan's aortic valve was dangerously narrowed, and due to his age and a history of mild COPD, traditional open-heart surgery was too high-risk. He recommended a Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI) as a minimally invasive alternative. Vivaan was terrified of heart surgery but felt he had no choice if he wanted to live. The procedure itself was a blur; he was sedated but not fully unconscious. He remembers pressure but no pain. He spent one night in the ICU and was walking the next day. Within a week, he was home. The recovery was remarkably quick. Six weeks later, he was back in his garden, weeding without needing to stop and catch his breath. Emotionally, he went from feeling like a burden and mourning his lost independence to feeling like he had been given a second chance. The profound relief and gratitude he feels now color every sunny afternoon spent outside.