Tam Anh Hospital doctors master complex cardiovascular intervention techniques in the world

On November 11-12, Tam Anh General Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City was awarded the certificate of "Independent Center for TAVI" - a complex cardiovascular intervention technique in the world by Edwards Lifesciences (USA) - the world's leading medical group. This is an important breakthrough that brings Vietnam's cardiovascular field deeper into the world.

Professor Markus Kasel - Head of the Department of Structural Cardiology, University Hospital Zurich, Switzerland; and Mr. Witvala Rattanaphakkhakun - Business Manager of Southeast Asia, Transcatheter Interventional Heart Valves, Edwards Lifesciences Group, directly evaluated, provided professional guidance and awarded the certificate.

Prof. Dr. Albert Markus Kasel (far right) presents the TAVI certificate to Associate Professor Dr. Vo Thanh Nhan (middle) - Director of the Interventional Cardiology Center, Tam Anh General Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Trung Vu

With this certification, Tam Anh General Hospital officially joins the network of TAVI centers in the ASEAN region and Vietnam is the third country to master this technique, after Thailand and Singapore. Tam Anh will expand the implementation of the independent TAVI technique for heart valve diseases with the SAPIEN 3 artificial valve generation being applied at many leading cardiovascular centers in the world .

Associate Professor, Doctor, Doctor Vo Thanh Nhan, Director of the Interventional Cardiology Center, Tam Anh General Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City, is the first expert to successfully perform and hold the record for the number of TAVI cases in Vietnam. As of October 2025, Professor Nhan has performed about 200 cases with a very high success rate, nearly 100%, including many elderly patients with severe aortic valve stenosis and many underlying diseases. He is also a Vietnamese expert certified to be qualified to train and transfer TAVI techniques to other facilities.

Prof. Dr. Vo Thanh Nhan (right) and his team perform transcatheter aortic valve implantation for a patient at Tam Anh General Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Trung Vu

The certificate awarding ceremony was more special when it was performed on the day marking the "record number of patients undergoing TAVI at Tam Anh General Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City" with 5 successful cases under the direction and direct intervention of Associate Professor, Doctor, Doctor Vo Thanh Nhan - Director of the Interventional Cardiology Center and a cardiovascular intervention team with formal training and many years of experience. All 5 patients were over 55 years old, with moderate to severe aortic valve stenosis and many underlying diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, heart failure, coronary artery disease, chronic kidney disease - a group of subjects at high risk if undergoing open surgery.

Previously, aortic valve implantation with extracorporeal circulation was the only method to improve the prognosis of patients with symptomatic aortic valve stenosis; however, about 1/3 of patients could not undergo surgery due to comorbidities such as coronary artery disease, severe left heart failure, kidney failure, lung disease, diabetes...

TAVI is the most complex cardiovascular intervention technique currently in aortic valve implantation, helping to minimize invasiveness. Patients do not need to saw the sternum, do not need to run an artificial heart-lung machine outside the body, do not need general anesthesia, so the risk of complications is minimized. The intervention process only goes through a small opening (from 6-8 mm) to help reduce blood loss, reduce pain, minimize complications, increase the success rate, and quickly recover health in 2-3 days...

Doctor Nguyen Xuan Vinh - Interventional Cardiology Center, Tam Anh General Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City, examined an 81-year-old patient, one day after performing the TAVI technique. Photo: Trung Vu

According to Professor Markus Kasel, TAVI technique requires an experienced interventional cardiologist with at least 10 years of practice before starting with this technique. The hospital must have modern medical equipment, have a cardiac surgery department as a backup, and organize consultations in the "Heart Team" to select suitable patients. He assessed that the Interventional Cardiology Center, Tam Anh General Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City, meets comprehensive and in-depth requirements in terms of the professional qualifications of the medical team, meets excellently in the world's leading modern equipment system, rare in the region and Vietnam, and specializes in the field of cardiology.

The Interventional Cardiology Center of Tam Anh General Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City, was established in 2021 with the goal of becoming a large, modern interventional cardiovascular center in Vietnam and the region, providing comprehensive and specialized treatment for cardiovascular patients domestically and internationally. In particular, the Center gathers a team of highly qualified experts, with nearly 100 experts and doctors, including 2 Professors and Associate Professors, nearly 20 PhDs, MDs.CKII in all fields of internal medicine, surgery, resuscitation, cardiovascular intervention and robotic surgery.

Hoai Thuong (Tam Anh General Hospital)

Source: https://suckhoedoisong.vn/bac-si-benh-vien-tam-anh-lam-chu-ky-thuat-can-thiep-tim-mach-phuc-tap-tren-the-gioi-169251112215844264.htm