In a first for Australia, an innovative aortic valve implant procedure is offering a minimally invasive treatment option for select patients with valve disease.
Epworth interventional cardiologist, Professor Tony Walton, and the Structural Heart Team at Epworth Richmond implanted the first Jenscare Ken-Valve in July through the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) Special Access Scheme.
The Ken-Valve is designed for patients with severe native aortic regurgitation who are not suitable for surgery. The aortic valve does not close properly and blood flows back into the left ventricle, which can cause shortness of breath, fatigue, chest pain, dizziness, and heart failure.
Until now, the only way to repair the diseased valve has been open heart surgery.
“The Ken-Valve is delivered via a catheter inserted between the ribs, offering a minimally invasive treatment option for select patients with severe native aortic regurgitation who have little to no stenosis,” Prof Walton said.
“We are proud to have performed Australia’s first Ken-Valve procedure at Epworth Richmond as part of our longstanding commitment to expanding access to innovative treatment options for eligible patients.”
Prof Walton said some patients with severe native aortic regurgitation are not suitable candidates for heart surgery, particularly older patients, so they instead take medication to manage their symptoms and reduce the risk of complications.
“Unlike aortic stenosis, a more common heart disease that we can often treat by delivering a valve implant through a catheter via the leg up to the heart, patients with severe native aortic regurgitation do not have enough valve calcification to secure the implant which means surgery is required to repair the diseased valve,” he said.
“The Ken-Valve has its own anchoring mechanism to secure it in place inside the diseased valve without requiring calcification.
“The availability of the Ken-Valve transcatheter procedure through the TGA Special Access Scheme provides a potential new option for select patients who would otherwise have limited alternatives.”
The Ken-Valve is not included on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods (ARTG) and is only accessible via the TGA Special Access Scheme. The scheme enables eligible patients to be considered for treatment where their specialist determines it may be an appropriate option for their clinical needs.
