The structural heart program of the University of Debrecen Clinical Centre’s Department of Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery has reached a major milestone: specialists have completed the institution’s 1,000th transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) procedure. The minimally invasive intervention is becoming an increasingly safe alternative to open-heart surgery for many patients. The Debrecen clinic was the first institution outside Budapest to launch such a program and today remains one of Hungary’s leading structural heart centers in terms of case numbers.
The 1,000th patient was an 80-year-old individual who recently underwent the catheter-based aortic valve implantation procedure at the clinic. TAVI is used when a calcified heart valve no longer opens properly, restricting blood flow from the heart. During the procedure, the new valve is most commonly guided to the heart through the femoral artery using a thin catheter while folded. Once positioned, the new valve expands inside the old calcified valve and takes over its function, restoring proper blood circulation.
The procedure has been performed at the institution since 2013, and the clinic has since become one of Hungary’s leading TAVI centers. Specialists from multiple medical disciplines work together using state-of-the-art technology and advanced medical equipment to ensure the highest standard of patient care.
“Initially, we financed study trips abroad from our own resources to learn the most modern techniques. At first, we performed no more than two procedures a day, exclusively under general anesthesia. Today, we can carry out up to four interventions daily without anesthesia and without the need for surgical exposure,” said Attila Kertész, assistant professor and specialist at the Department of Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery, in an interview with hirek.unideb.hu.
He added that the active participation of cardiac surgeons and the cooperation of anesthesiologists played a major role in the program’s successful development, while close collaboration between specialties has significantly improved the efficiency of patient care.
The minimally invasive technique significantly reduces the risk of complications, shortens recovery time and allows patients to leave the hospital sooner. Initially, catheter-based aortic valve implantation was mainly used for elderly, high-risk patients with multiple underlying conditions for whom traditional open-heart surgery would have posed too great a burden. In recent years, however, there has been a clear shift in medical practice, and the treatment is now increasingly considered for younger and lower-risk patients as well.
According to the clinic’s experts, this makes the role of a highly trained multidisciplinary team even more important.
“Every treatment decision is made by the multidisciplinary Heart Team, in which specialists jointly select the safest and most effective therapy for each patient,” said Judit Barta, associate professor and head of the interventional laboratory at the clinic.
She emphasized that the clinic’s structural heart intervention team operates at an exceptionally high professional level and remains open to adopting new technologies and modern intervention techniques. She also highlighted the dedication and experience of the staff involved in patient care, which greatly contributes to the safety and effectiveness of the procedures and to favorable patient outcomes.
Barta added that Debrecen’s specialists are not only following but also helping shape Hungary’s structural intervention approach in certain areas. The continuously increasing number of TAVI procedures reflects the medical community’s trust in the program and the center’s extensive experience. Structural interventions are supported by the world-class hybrid operating room inaugurated in 2024, equipped with cutting-edge technology to ensure safe and effective procedures.
“We are extremely proud of our structural team and of the professional development we have achieved in recent years. Our structural intervention portfolio is now complete,” said Professor Zoltán Csanádi, director of the Department of Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery.
“In addition to TAVI, we can now treat mitral and tricuspid valve diseases through catheter-based techniques, repair congenital tissue defects inside the heart, and for more than 15 years we have also been performing left atrial appendage closure procedures for patients with atrial fibrillation as a stroke prevention method. The world-class hybrid laboratory provides the perfect environment for all of these interventions,” he added.
The completion of the 1,000th TAVI procedure is not only a professional milestone but also proof that Debrecen operates a high-level structural heart program based on international standards, advanced technology and coordinated professional cooperation. According to current plans, the clinic will perform 250 catheter-based aortic valve implantations this year alone.
(unideb.hu)
