Lungi Mvumvu​
The Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital’s (CMJAH) Cardiology team launched the first Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI) procedure in the Gauteng Health public sector recently.
TAVI is a less invasive catheter-based technique for replacing a diseased aortic value. This procedure is a sub-specialty of cardiology and provides minimally invasive, image-guided diagnoses and treatment of cardiac conditions. 
The launch of this service at the facility will help reduce the long waiting list for cardiac surgery combined with the poor outcomes of open-heart surgery in high-risk patients. 
Furthermore, as an academic hospital, the addition of TAVI to the list of skills acquired at CMJAH will make the facility desirable option for doctors who wish to specialize in cardiology and cardiothoracic surgery.
The team led by the hospital’s Dr Nqoba Tsabedze has partnered with Professor Farrel Hellig the Director of Cardiology at Sunninghill Hospital and Associate Professor of Cardiology, University of Cape Town.  The multidisciplinary team included various specialists such as cardiologists, cardiothoracic surgeons, radiographers, perfusionist, anaesthesiologist and nurses.  
The first TAVI procedure in the world was performed in 2002 and seven years later in South Africa. Over 2000 South Africans have since undergone TAVI with the vast majority being done in the private sector. 
Dr Arthur Mutyaba, performed the first transcatheter aortic valve implantation team under the supervision of Prof. Farrel Hellig.  The team was joined by the Cardiothoracic team to ensure that all processes run smoothly and to be on standby should a need for conventional approach be required.   Prof. Hellig said he is very proud to witness Dr. Mutyaba taking such skills to new levels as an independent operator in his own environment.  
Dr Mutyaba, who completed a Fellowship in Advanced Cardiovascular intervention was pleased that such an event of major significance will open an opportunity for many more patients in great need. The patients who have been identified for such an intervention are mostly elderly patients with comorbidities and could not withstand the long process of open-heart surgery whose healing process could take longer.
The aortic valve controls the flow of blood as it exits the heart and is pumped to the rest of the body.  In some instances, the hardworking valves can run into problems that cause issues with blood flows and threaten overall health.  TAVI is one of the procedures used to replace aortic valves.  
The launch of TAVI at the hospital will improve health services including: 
Reduce prolonged post-operative ICU stay and the use of expensive post-operative life support equipment such as ECMO (extra-corporeal membrane oxygenation) 
 
For the patient, a quicker and less invasive procedure means earlier hospital discharge (on day one after the procedure) and earlier return to normal function (usually within 3-5 days after procedure.) 
 
For the medical staff involved, it offers the opportunity to grow professionally and be at the cutting edge of medical innovation as well be part of a professional TAVI HEART team that will be involved in caring for patients that undergo the procedure. 
 
The Gauteng MEC for Health, Dr Bandile Masuku commended the team and expressed gratitude for their joint effort to solve health care issues in a collaborative manner. 
“This public-private partnership epitomizes what we could achieve when we come together as South Africans. We laud the entire for team their effort. The launch of the TAVI bodes well for those who wish to specialise in cardiology cardiothoracic surgery,” said MEC Masuku.