Linkou Chang Gung Hospital advances minimally invasive treatments for elderly patients

Linkou Chang Gung Hospital in Taiwan is utilizing advanced minimally invasive technologies to treat elderly patients with complex, multi-organ conditions. Medical teams are successfully employing techniques such as the 'Valve-in-valve' procedure, which allows for the replacement of degenerated biological heart valves via a catheter through the groin. This method avoids open-chest surgery and the need to stop the heart, significantly reducing risks and recovery times for high-risk patients.

In a notable case involving an 85-year-old patient with multiple comorbidities, including aortic stenosis and lung cancer, the hospital implemented a staged 'save the heart, then treat the cancer' strategy. The patient first underwent Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI) to stabilize cardiac function, followed two months later by a minimally invasive thoracoscopic lung resection.

The hospital’s integrated model, which combines thoracic and cardiovascular surgery into a single department, facilitates seamless multidisciplinary coordination. Furthermore, the National Health Insurance Administration has included certain transcatheter valve-in-valve procedures for high-risk patients under its conditional coverage, easing the financial burden on elderly citizens.