Newswise — Only 100 U.S. hospitals can perform Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) without open-heart surgery to treat patients with aortic stenosis. With transcatheter aortic valve replacement, a patient undergoes a 60 to 90-minute procedure, compared with four to six hours for open-heart surgery.
Patients with aortic stenosis who do not receive an aortic valve replacement have no long-term treatment option to prevent or delay the progression of severe aortic stenosis. This condition is a narrowing of the aortic valve opening that does not allow normal blood flow.
“TAVR is an innovative approach to heart valve replacement and gives new hope to patients who could not withstand surgery due to age or other concurrent health factors,” says David Brown, M.D., FACC, FACP, medical director of interventional cardiology and transcatheter valve therapy at THE HEART HOSPITAL Baylor Plano. “According to recent studies, TAVR is a less invasive alternative for these patients and is as effective as open-heart surgery in terms of long-term survival.” THE HEART HOSPITAL performed their first TAVR procedure in January 2012.
Patients with severe aortic stenosis can be considered for the less-invasive treatment with the new FDA-approved device known as the Edwards SAPIEN Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR).
During TAVR, a heart valve is implanted into the body using a catheter that is inserted through a small needle stick in the leg and threaded through the artery up to the heart. The new valve is positioned inside the patient’s existing valve, using a balloon to deploy the frame, which holds the artificial valve in place. The procedure is performed on a beating heart, without the need for a heart and lung machine.
In open-heart surgery, the surgeon cuts through the chest bone, stops the heart, removes the valve and replaces it. This surgery can require a two to three month recovery period, compared to only a few days for most patients with the transcatheter approach.
Severe aortic stenosis occurs when the aortic valve does not properly open and close, usually due to build-up of calcium or mineral deposits. The restriction of blood flow increases pressure within the heart, causing heart muscles to weaken which can increase the risk of heart failure. Symptoms may include extreme fatigue, dizziness, chest pain or pressure, shortness of breath during activity, rapid or irregular heart beat and fainting.
About THE HEART HOSPITAL Baylor Plano THE HEART HOSPITAL Baylor Plano is ranked 8th in the country in heart valve surgeries based on patient volume* and is the first and only freestanding, full-service hospital in this region dedicated solely to heart and vascular health care. Committed to providing safe, quality, compassionate care and five-star service, the 116-bed hospital was created through a partnership between Baylor Regional Medical Center at Plano and cardiovascular physicians and surgeons practicing in North Texas. Last year the hospital became one of a select group of 382 healthcare organizations out of 6,000 achieving Magnet® recognition. For more information about the services offered at THE HEART HOSPITAL Baylor Plano, visit www.thehearthospitalbaylor.com *Source: TRG Consultative Services, Denver, Colorado
Notice Regarding Physician Ownership: THE HEART HOSPITAL Baylor Plano is a hospital in which physicians have an ownership or investment interest. The list of the physician owners or investors is available to upon request. Physicians are members of the medical staff at one of Baylor Health Care System’s subsidiary, community or affiliated medical centers and are neither employees nor agents of those medical centers, THE HEART HOSPITAL Baylor Plano or Baylor Health Care System.
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