Heart procedure offers new hope to high-risk patients

By Elaine Sanchez, Brooke Army Medical Center Public AffairsMarch 30, 2016

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas -- Doctors here are pumped up about a new procedure for high-risk patients needing heart valve repair.

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement, or TAVR, is a minimally invasive surgical procedure that involves inserting a replacement valve into the aortic valve's place, similar to a stent placed in an artery. Once the new valve is expanded, it takes over blood flow regulation. The procedure is primarily done for patients with severe aortic valve stenosis, or narrowing.

Typically, valve replacement requires an open heart procedure, which is a viable option for most patients, said Lt. Col. (Dr.) Daniel Bellin, interventional cardiologist at San Antonio Military Medical Center. An open heart procedure, however, is off the table for certain high-risk patients, such as older patients or those with other medical conditions.

TAVR is proving a game-changer for these high-risk patients. "TAVR is providing these patients with new hope," Bellin said. "We are very excited to offer this option to our patients. There's a growing population for this type of procedure and has been for a while."

"This procedure can improve symptoms significantly," added Army Lt. Col. (Dr.) Petros Leinonen, SAMMC's chief of cardiothoracic surgery.

Surgeons performed SAMMC's first TAVR procedures last month with a highly successful outcome. "The surgeries went very well," Bellin said. "We were very pleased with the procedures and near-term recovery, and look forward to seeing the long-term results."

Bellin praised TAVR's interdisciplinary approach to care, noting the collaboration between interventional cardiology, cardiothoracic surgeons, anesthesiologists, and technicians and nursing from the surgical and catheter lab side. "The teamwork is an exciting feature," he said.

"The collaboration between multiple services is an example of what we can accomplish by working together," Leinonen added.

First introduced in Europe, the FDA-approved procedure is relatively new in the U.S., Bellin said, but is catching on across the country.

"This is one more excellent example of our commitment to advancing care on all fronts for the ultimate benefit of our patients," he said.

Related Links:

Brooke Army Medical Center