Aortic Valve Regurgitation Treatment in Thailand
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What is an Aortic Valve Regurgitation?
Aortic Valve Regurgitation occurs when the aortic valve fails to close properly after the left ventricle pumps blood into the aorta. This backward blood flow increases the volume of blood in the left ventricle, which may cause the heart to enlarge and work harder over time. Aortic regurgitation may result from a bicuspid aortic valve, aortic root enlargement, infective endocarditis, rheumatic heart disease, congenital abnormalities, or other conditions affecting the valve or aorta.
What is the Importance of Timely Treatment?
Timely evaluation helps determine the severity and cause of aortic regurgitation, assess left ventricular size and function, monitor disease progression, and identify when medical or surgical treatment may be appropriate. Treating significant regurgitation at the appropriate stage can help prevent progressive heart enlargement, heart failure, and other cardiovascular complications.
What are the Common Symptoms of Aortic Valve Regurgitation?
- Shortness of Breath: Breathlessness may occur during physical activity and can become more noticeable as the condition progresses.
- Fatigue: Increased cardiac workload and reduced effective forward blood flow may cause tiredness and reduced stamina.
- Chest Discomfort: Some people may experience chest pain or discomfort, especially as the disease advances.
- Palpitations: A fast, pounding, or irregular heartbeat may occur, especially when associated rhythm abnormalities develop.
- Reduced Exercise Tolerance: Physical activities that were previously comfortable may become more difficult because of breathlessness or fatigue.
- Dizziness or Fainting: Significant disease may sometimes cause lightheadedness or fainting, particularly when cardiac output is affected.
Causes and Risk Factors of Aortic Valve Regurgitation
Causes
- Bicuspid Aortic Valve: A congenital valve with two leaflets instead of three may become dysfunctional and cause regurgitation.
- Aortic Root Enlargement: Enlargement of the aortic root can prevent the valve leaflets from meeting properly.
- Infective Endocarditis: Infection can damage the aortic valve and cause leakage.
- Rheumatic Heart Disease: Rheumatic fever can cause permanent structural changes to the valve.
- Congenital Valve Abnormalities: Structural abnormalities present from birth may affect valve closure.
- Aortic Dissection: A tear in the aortic wall can interfere with aortic valve function and may cause acute regurgitation.
- Degenerative Valve Changes: Progressive changes in valve tissue can impair proper closure.
- Connective Tissue Disorders: Conditions such as Marfan syndrome and other inherited disorders can affect the aortic valve and aortic root.
Risk Factors
- Bicuspid aortic valve
- Older age
- High blood pressure
- Previous rheumatic fever or rheumatic heart disease
- Previous infective endocarditis
- Aortic aneurysm or aortic root enlargement
- Previous aortic or cardiac surgery
- Certain connective tissue disorders
- Family history of aortic or valve disease
- Certain congenital heart abnormalities
Latest Research and Technologies in the Treatment of Aortic Valve Regurgitation in Thailand
- Thailand is increasingly adopting advanced imaging and multidisciplinary heart-team approaches for the management of aortic valve regurgitation (AR). A major recent development is the emergence of dedicated transcatheter technologies for patients with severe native AR who have high or prohibitive surgical risk. The ALIGN-AR trial demonstrated promising outcomes with the leaflet-anchoring Trilogy transcatheter valve, designed specifically to address the challenges of non-calcified aortic valves. Current research is also focusing on 4D-flow MRI, advanced echocardiography, patient-specific valve planning, and newer transcatheter valve systems.
Treatment options for Aortic Valve Regurgitation
Surgical Aortic Valve Replacement (SAVR): The absolute gold-standard definitive therapy for severe chronic AR. Implantation of a mechanical or bioprosthetic valve is triggered by the presence of symptoms, a drop in left ventricular ejection fraction, or severe left ventricular dilation.
Bentall procedure : A complex open-heart surgery that simultaneously replaces a diseased aortic valve, a weakened aortic root, and the ascending aorta. It uses a specialised medical device called a composite graft, a synthetic tube with a mechanical or tissue heart valve built inside it.
Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) : This is highly specific and appropriately qualified. While TAVR is traditionally reserved for aortic stenosis, it is an emerging, specialised off-label or device-specific consideration for pure, severe AR only in patients who are completely inoperable, as the lack of valve calcification makes securing a transcatheter valve technically difficult.
- Clinical assessment:
- Medical History: Assessment includes symptoms, previous rheumatic fever, infections, congenital heart disease, previous cardiac procedures, aortic disease, and family history.
- Physical Examination: A doctor may listen for an abnormal heart murmur and assess blood pressure, pulse, heart rhythm, breathing, and signs of fluid retention.
- Electrocardiogram (ECG): Evaluates heart rhythm and electrical activity and may show changes associated with cardiac enlargement or strain.
- Exercise or Stress Testing: May help assess functional capacity and symptoms in selected patients who can safely exercise.
- Blood Tests: Selected tests may assess kidney function, blood counts, infection, or other conditions relevant to treatment.
- Imaging Tests:
- Transthoracic Echocardiography (TTE): The primary test for assessing aortic valve structure, the severity of regurgitation, left ventricular size and function, and associated abnormalities.
- Transesophageal Echocardiography (TEE): Provides detailed images of the aortic valve and surrounding structures and may be particularly useful for treatment planning or suspected acute disease.
- 3D Echocardiography: Provides detailed information about valve anatomy and aortic root structures in selected patients.
- Cardiac CT: Helps evaluate the aortic valve, aortic root, ascending aorta, and anatomy relevant to selected procedures.
- Cardiac MRI: Can quantify regurgitant blood flow and assess ventricular volumes and function when echocardiographic findings are inconclusive or additional information is needed.
- Chest X-ray: May show heart enlargement or changes associated with advanced cardiac disease.
- Cardiac Catheterisation: May be used in selected patients for haemodynamic assessment, coronary evaluation, or treatment planning.
MediRehab (a chain of Rehab centres, part of MediGence) provides comprehensive tele-rehabilitation services designed to support patients with aortic valve regurgitation in Thailand. These services include:
- Cardiac Rehabilitation: Selected patients may benefit from structured rehabilitation following valve surgery or other cardiac treatment.
- Gradual Physical Activity: Increase activity according to symptoms, ventricular function, treatment history, and guidance from the cardiac team.
- Exercise Conditioning: Individualised exercise may help improve strength and endurance,
- Long-Term Follow-Up: Regular cardiology and echocardiographic assessment helps monitor valve function, left ventricular size and function, and the aorta when relevant.
- Medicines are selected according to the severity and cause of aortic regurgitation and the patient's overall cardiac condition. Blood-pressure medicines may be used to reduce cardiovascular workload when hypertension is present, while diuretics may help manage fluid retention in patients with heart failure. Other medicines may be prescribed for heart failure, coronary artery disease, or abnormal heart rhythms when indicated.
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Hospitals for Aortic Valve Regurgitation in Thailand
Piyavate Hospital
Bangkok, Thailand
Piyavate Hospital located in Bangkok, Thailand is accredited by JCI. Also listed below are some of the most prominent infrastructural details:
Medicine Centre: Piyavate Hospital provides advanced holistic treatment for their patients. They offer a complete range of services and physicians that specialize in various fields like the endocrine system, the nervous system, kidney function, cardiovascular care, respiratory and digestive system. They pride themselves for the familial care that they provide to their patients.
Fertility and In-Vitro Fertilization Centre: Helping the couples who walk into the Piyavate Hospital to achieve their dream of having a family. They have a medical team that specializes in male and female fertility. They offer consultation services, fertility check-up for both men and women and complete IVF services. They have advanced IVF cycle treatment facilities that offer a high rate of success.
Bone and Joint Institute: Piyavate Hospital houses one of the frontrunners in Orthopaedic health care in all of SouthEast Asia. They offer a wide range of services and surgeries in their bone and joint institute that include hand surgery, hip and knee replacement surgery, spinal cord surgery, upper extremity surgery, arthroscopic surgery and sports medicine.
Eye and Lasik Centre: Piyavate Hospital is fully equipped with the latest and most advanced technology for eye care and houses highly skilled ophthalmologists, sub-specialists and qualified nurses.
Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Centre: One of the first hospitals to be equipped with the Hybrid Assistive Limb technology that will help a neurologically challenged patient to control the rehabilitation robot limb with a signal from their brain. The Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Centre at Piyavate Hospital uses this system encourage patients to regain muscle memory to walk and function normally.
Amenities for Patient’s Family:
Piyavate Hospital also offers additional apartment facilities to house the kin of the patients who come to visit them from distant places. A restaurant, a flower shop and a café are a few of the other amenities provided by the hospital.
These are the most popular services offered by the Piyavate Hospital in Bangkok, Thailand. They also provide a plethora of other medical services that are listed below:
Diabetic Foot Centre
Check-up centre
Urology Centre
Heart Institute
Paediatric Centre
Obstetrics and Gynaecology Centre
Surgery Centre
Ear Nose Throat Centre
Haemodialysis Centre
Dental Centre
X-Ray Centre
Gastroenterology Centre
Cancer Centre
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)
Emergency Services and Centre
Tele-medicine
Phyathai 2 International Hospital
Bangkok, Thailand
Phyathai 2 International Hospital located in Bangkok, Thailand is accredited by JCI. Also listed below are some of the most prominent infrastructural details:
- Fully equipped rooms are available for convenience of the patients- Gold B Room, Gold A Room, Pediatric Gold A, Platinum room, and Prestige ward
- Nearby accommodations are also available- Abloom Service Apartments, Bangkok Patio, VIB Best Western Sanam Pao, VIC3 Hotel
- Operating room
- International Patient Medical Center to assist overseas patients
Bangkok Hospital
Bangkok, Thailand
Bangkok Hospital located in Bangkok, Thailand is accredited by JCI. Also listed below are some of the most prominent infrastructural details:
- It is recognised for the application of the newest healthcare technology.
- Blood analysis center that is not just the best in Thailand but in Asia Pacific as well.
- Biomolecule center that is the seed of healthcare equipment for Thailand and overseas.
- International affiliations and collaborations with universities and hospitals in Japan and the United States of America.
- 11 hospitals are recognised as Centers of Excellence.
- Known excellence in Trauma, Orthopedics, Cardiovascular, Neurology as well as Cancer Care.
- There is a proper streamlined patient services process followed in Bangkok Dusit Medical Services, Bangkok, Thailand.
- A well developed research center showcases the intent of the organisation to provide research based treatment opportunities to the patients.
- The group has several Medical industry partnerships as well to ensure healthcare solutions.
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Why Choose Thailand for Aortic Valve Regurgitation Treatment?
- Experienced Cardiac Specialists: Access to cardiologists, interventional cardiologists, cardiac surgeons, and specialists involved in aortic valve and aortic disease management.
- Advanced Cardiac Imaging: Major centres may provide TTE, TEE, 3D echocardiography, cardiac CT, and cardiac MRI.
- Aortic Valve Repair: Selected centres offer surgical valve repair for patients with suitable anatomy.
- Valve Replacement: Hospitals may provide surgical aortic valve replacement using mechanical or biological prosthetic valves.
- Aortic Surgery: Complex centres may manage patients requiring combined valve and aortic root or ascending aorta surgery.
- Transcatheter Treatment: Selected patients may have access to evolving transcatheter approaches when appropriate for their anatomy and clinical situation.
- Multidisciplinary Heart Teams: Cardiologists, cardiac surgeons, imaging specialists, anaesthesiologists, intensivists, and rehabilitation professionals can coordinate complex cases.
- International Patient Support: Many major Thai hospitals provide assistance with medical records, appointments, treatment coordination, accommodation, and follow-up.
Frequently Asked Questions
Reviewer
Dr. Nityanand Tripathi
Interventional Cardiologist
29 Years of Experience
With a rich experience of more than 29 years, Dr. Nityanand has gained a vast spectrum of skills and expertise in performing all types of complex cardiac procedures. He is an expert in clinical & interventional cardiology and electrophysiology. He studied his medicine (MBBS) and MD from the Institute of Medical Sciences of Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, and later completed his DM in Cardiology from the prestigious King George Medical University, Lucknow. View More
Last Reviewed - January 2026