Physicians Regional Healthcare System is giving people suffering from severe and symptomatic aortic stenosis hope with a newly offered procedure. The minimally invasive transcatheter aortic valve replacement, also known as TAVR, does not require opening up the chest for patients with aortic stenosis, the most common heart valve disease in adults.
There is good news for people suffering from, severe and symptomatic aortic stenosis who are at increased risk for complications associated with conventional open heart surgery. The minimally invasive TAVR procedure can successfully replace the valve without some of the risks associated with invasive heart surgery. During a TAVR procedure, a new aortic valve is implanted – usually through a large catheter placed in an artery in the groin. The valve is collapsed onto the tip of the catheter, which is directed under x ray guidance into the existing and diseased valve where it is then deployed.
Dr. Scot Schultz, M.D., Cardiothoracic Surgeon, and Dr. Ronald Caputo, M.D., Interventional Cardiologist, performed the first two TAVR procedures at the Heart Center at Physicians Regional on Thursday, April 8, 2021. While Dr. Schultz and Dr. Caputo have completed hundreds of TAVR procedures during their careers, they were both thrilled to be the first to introduce this procedure to their PRHS home.
“Even though Dr. Caputo and I have collectively performed close to 500 TAVR procedures, the institution was required to complete a certain number of conventional procedures prior to performing the TAVR procedure. The patients are doing well now after spending just one night in the hospital after the procedure,” Dr. Schultz explains. “Both patients went home the next day. We thank them for their confidence in us,” Dr. Caputo adds.
According to Dr. Caputo and Dr. Schultz, anyone with a narrowing of the aortic valve or aortic stenosis can be considered for this procedure but it is especially beneficial for patients for whom open heart surgery is more risky such as elderly patients or high risk patients with other serious illnesses.
“Open heart surgery is the ‘tried and true’ method for aortic valve replacement and often the preferred approach if a patient also needs bypass grafts to treat blockages in the coronary arteries or has an enlarged aorta,” Dr. Caputo states. For other patients TAVR has the advantage of a faster recovery. Patients often go home the next day and can return to normal activities within a week.
Not only does TAVR offer a speedy recovery, but an incision is rarely needed. “Over 95% of these procedures are performed by accessing the arteries in the leg without an incision. Rarely, the leg artery is used with a 2-3 inch incision. Even less common, the procedure uses an alternate artery in the arm or neck. This may be necessary if the leg arteries are too small or too diseased with plaque,” Dr. Schultz explains.
While severe restrictions are placed on patients undergoing conventional aortic valve replacement (SAVR), also known as open heart surgery, there are much fewer restrictions for TAVR patients and for a shorter period of time. Outcomes for TAVR have been shown to be noninferior to SAVR while the shorter hospital stay and more rapid recovery strongly favors TAVR over SAVR.
The Heart Center at Physicians Regional is located at our Pine Ridge Campus –
6101 Pine Ridge Rd., Naples FL, 34119.
BothDr. Caputo and Dr. Schultz are accepting new cardiac patients. To schedule an appointment with them, please call (239) 282-4471 or visit physiciansregional.com/find-a-doctor.