On Wednesday, an international conference held in India featured a live broadcast of a catheter-based aortic valve implantation performed at the Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery Clinic of the Clinical Center at the University of Debrecen. The clinic’s medical team has extensive experience in this field, having performed more than 700 such procedures to date. The surgery was carried out in a state-of-the-art hybrid laboratory, which was developed with an investment of approximately one billion forints.
During the TAVI (Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation) procedure, specialists implant an artificial aortic valve through a catheter. This method is often the only option to improve the quality of life and life expectancy of elderly patients, for whom open-heart surgery would pose a high risk. The Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery Clinic at the University of Debrecen has been performing these procedures since 2013, with an increasing number each year. Considering the technical challenges and the success rates of these interventions, the clinic is among the leading institutions both in Hungary and internationally in the field of TAVI.
On Wednesday, the clinic’s specialists presented the procedure through a live surgical broadcast to participants of the international congress in India.
“The catheter-based intervention we broadcast on Wednesday did not pose any theoretical challenges or novelties for us, as we have already performed over 750 such surgeries. However, for centers that perform TAVI implantations but have little or no experience with this specific type of valve, or for those using different implantation techniques, such live case presentations provide valuable learning opportunities,” explained Dr. Attila Kertész, assistant professor and specialist at the Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery Clinic of the University of Debrecen.
The valve implantation was performed by Dr. Attila Kertész and Dr. Bertalan Kracskó, both cardiologists from the Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery Clinic, while anesthesia was administered by Dr. Ferenc Bodnár, a clinical specialist from the Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Therapy. Dr. Géza Horváth participated in the broadcast and patient data presentation. The assistant roles were carried out by Ágnes Muri, Erzsébet Varga, and Rita Kecskésné Sándor.
“Presenting our daily routine at an international congress in front of a large audience requires an experienced and well-coordinated team, as well as adequate personnel and technical resources. The hybrid lab, representing the most advanced technology, makes this possible. There are very few centers worldwide that are asked to provide live surgical broadcasts. The fact that we were able to do so is a great honor and a recognition of our everyday work,” emphasized Dr. Attila Kertész.
He also added that the team, which includes cardiac surgeons, performs interventions with maximum attention to patient safety, following the latest international practices, continuously rethinking conventional techniques, and striving for constant improvement.
According to Professor Zoltán Csanádi, Director of the Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery Clinic at the University of Debrecen, the hybrid laboratory was designed from the outset to meet all professional requirements while also enabling the live demonstration of the procedures performed there—both locally and through online broadcasts.
“Since its inauguration in the spring of 2024, this was the third live TAVI procedure broadcast from our clinic. The past year’s experience confirms the validity and feasibility of this concept,” Professor Zoltán Csanádi emphasized.
(unideb.hu)
