Catholic Priest Undergoes First Successful Heart Valve Transplant in Kenya

Doctors at Mediheal Hospital in Nairobi have performed a successful heart valve transplant, the first of its kind in Kenya and the region.

The Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI) was done on an 83-year-old Catholic priest at a cost of Sh7 million and took two hours to complete.

The patient, Father Brambilla Luigi Carlo said he was experiencing shortness of breath whenever he rode a bike or climbed a flight of stairs, The Standard reported.

The priest was later diagnosed with Aortic Stenosis as a result of calcification and obstruction in one heart valve.

The procedure was conducted by a team of 10 specialists led by Dr. Vijaysinh Patil, who noted that the patient’s heart valve was totally blocked and had to be replaced with an artificial one.

Dr. Patil told The Standard that due to Carlo’s age, they were forced to perform a non-surgical procedure that does not involve opening Carlo’s chest.

“We offered him percutaneous TAVI treatment. He was not willing for open heart surgery because of the high risk,” he said.

The specialists inserted a catheter on the right groin to carry the valve, which was mounted on a balloon navigator system to the heart.

The patient was able to walk six hours after the procedure and will be observed for two days before being discharged.

Aortic Stenosis occurs when the valve in the large blood vessel branching off the heart (aorta) starts narrowing, according to Mayo Clinic.

This prevents the valve from opening fully, hence reducing blood flow to the body and making the heart work harder. Consequently, the heart may weaken, causing chest pain, fatigue, and shortness of breath.