The structural heart team at the Heart Institute (HI) of the Chinese General Hospital and Medical Center (CHMC) led by Dr. Timothy Dy successfully performed the country’s first transcatheter aortic calve replacement (TAVR) utilizing the Edwards SAPIEN transcatheter heart valve (THV).
The Edwards SAPIEN Valve is a pioneering TAVR therapy to receive the Food and Drug Administration approval in the United States.
Only specialized hospitals offer the procedure, catering to eligible inoperable and high-risk patients.
According to CGHMC, the achievement represents a notable advancement in cardiac care in the Philippines and its ongoing commitment to innovation and excellence in cardiac care to provide the highest quality of service for its patients.
The team comprised of Dr. Dy, Dr. Jessielyn Sia, Dr. Nelson Lee, Dr. Aristides Panlilio and Dr. Theresa Menor. Dr. Mao-shin Lin, an experienced TAVR implanter from Taiwan, was also present.
CGHMC is among the early adopters commencing TAVR procedures as early as 2012 and has since completed nearly 300 cases utilizing various valves.
The inaugural recipient of the Edwards SAPIEN Valve was an 84-year-old woman afflicted with severe aortic stenosis.
TAVR, being minimally invasive, utilizes smaller access points compared to traditional open-heart valve surgery, making it a viable option for patients unable to undergo such procedures to replace the aortic valve.
TAVR has shown efficacy in alleviating symptoms like chest pain and shortness of breath associated with aortic valve stenosis, often resulting in shorter hospital stays compared to surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR).
“This latest achievement adds to a series of pioneering endeavors by the CGHMC HI over the past decade. Notably, the institute accomplished the country’s first successful MitraClip Transcatheter Edge-to-Edge Repair (TEER) in 2014 and the first Watchman Left Atrial Appendage Occlusion (LAAO) implantation in 2016. These breakthroughs complement the institute’s groundbreaking work in Endovascular Aneurysm Repair (EVAR) and Thoracic Endovascular Aortic Repair (TEVAR), initiated in 2000,” CGHMC said.
CGHMC was founded in 1891 during the Spanish occupation, with donations from Chinese immigrants. It is supported by the Philippine Chinese Charitable Association Inc. (PCCAI).
