Doctors at a media roundtable on the increasing adoption of transcatheter aortic valve implantation on Tuesday in the city.
\| Photo Credit: RAGHUNATHAN SR

Doctors at Sri Ramachandra Medical Centre (SRMC), on Tuesday, highlighted the growing use of transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI), a minimally invasive procedure to replace narrowed aortic valves in elderly patients and stressed the importance of early diagnosis of severe heart valve disease.

Addressing a press conference, S. Nagendra Boopathy, professor of Cardiology, senior interventional cardiologist and lead, Structural Heart Disease Interventions, said the increasing adoption of TAVI has been driven by growing clinical confidence, supported by long-term evidence, and greater awareness among patients about treatment options.

He said recent international follow-up data spanning seven years had further strengthened confidence in the procedure’s long-term durability and outcomes.

“Symptoms such as breathlessness, fatigue, and reduced activity are often mistaken for ageing. Early diagnosis through echocardiography and timely intervention can significantly improve outcomes. Chennai’s collaborative Heart Team approach and growing experience in managing complex heart valve disease are helping improve patient outcomes while giving families greater confidence in treatment decisions,” Dr. Boopathy said.

Doctors said eligibility for TAVI is determined after assessing a patient’s overall life expectancy, existing comorbidities, and medical history.

S. Ramesh, professor and head of Cardiology, said access to specialised heart valve care continues to be concentrated in urban centres. He noted that while Tamil Nadu is projected to become India’s oldest State by 2031, a large proportion of its elderly population lives outside Chennai, where access to advanced cardiac evaluation remains limited.

Published - July 22, 2026 12:47 am IST