Benefits of AVNeo for Adults
The AVNeo procedure (also known as the Ozaki Procedure) gives you a chance to regain the life that you once had. Preserving the original size and restoring natural function of the aortic valve will allow more natural blood flow. You can play sports, go out hiking, take a trip and enjoy the active lifestyle you may have been missing for years.
Benefits and Risks of the AVNeo Procedure
Natural blood flow
AVNeo recreates a natural-like valve, allowing your annulus (the base of the aorta that attaches to the heart) to expand and contract like a normal healthy aortic valve does. Improving the blood flow through the aortic valve to the rest of your body will allow you to regain an active lifestyle.
A bioprosthetic or mechanical valve will make the area smaller, preventing the natural movement and restricting the amount of blood that can flow through the aortic valve.1
Natural material
AVNeo uses your own tissue to create a new valve, so only minimum foreign material, such as sutures, will be implanted in your body.
Bioprosthetic valves use cow or pig tissue. Mechanical valves are made from metal where TAVRs use valves that are made from combination of both materials. With these procedures there are several foreign materials implanted into your body. The chances or having an allergic reaction will not be high, but still remains as a risk.
No lifelong drugs
Most AVNeo patients do not need lifelong medication, freeing you from taking anti-coagulants (“blood thinners”) and allowing you to support your active lifestyle.
With mechanical valves, anticoagulation is required, which limits your activity, in most situations the AVNeo procedure does not require anticoagulation therapy after surgery.
No pacemakers
No need for a permanent pacemaker implantation, AVNeo does not put excessive pressure or force on your natural valve, which reduces the chance for interfering with the normal electrical pathway of the heart. There are limited reports of pacemakers after AVNeo has been performed.1
Life without a pacemaker is important for an active lifestyle
Pregnancy
If you plan to become pregnant, you should avoid any anti-coagulants (blood thinning medication).2 Typically, AVNeo does not require any anti-coagulation medication, allowing women the choice to become pregnant in the future.
Durability
AVNeo is a new procedure and does not have data older than 12 years (as of 2021).
AVNeo allows you options for other future options such as TAVR if the AVNeo valve were to need replaced. However, there still needs to be more known about this procedure.3
References
- Krane M, Boehm J, Prinzing A, Ziegelmueller J, Holfeld J, Lange R. Excellent Hemodynamic Performance After Aortic Valve Neocuspidization Using Autologous Pericardium. Ann Thorac Surg. 2021 Jan;111(1):126-133. doi: 10.1016/j.athoracsur.2020.04.108. Epub 2020 Jun 12. PMID: 32540439.
- Nishimura RA, Otto CM, Bonow RO, et al. 2014 AHA/ACC guideline for the management of patients with valvular heart disease: a report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Practice Guidelines. J Am Coll Cardiol 2014;63:e57–185
- Tada, et al. Transcatheter aortic valve implantation after aortic valve neocuspidization using autologous pericardium