St. Joseph’s Medical Center Completes 400th Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement

Dignity Health St. Joseph’s Medical Center (SJMC) has reached the milestone of completing 400 transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) procedures.

TAVR is a minimally invasive procedure that focuses on replacing a thickened aortic valve that has difficulties fully opening, due to either aortic valve stenosis or aortic valve regurgitation, both of which cause reduced blood flow from the heart to the rest of the body.

"We are pleased to be able to provide this effective and less invasive aortic valve replacement option to members of our community and offer an advanced level of cardiac care close to home.” said Dr. Richard Waters, TAVR team cardiologist.

Individuals at risk for requiring a TAVR procedure include those with other health conditions, such as lung or kidney disease, high blood pressure, infections or injury to the heart, and those with congenital heart disease. Symptoms include but are not limited to heart murmur, chest pain, fainting and dizziness, and shortness of breath. The minimally-invasive TAVR procedure has many benefits, such as closed valve replacements and minimal recovery time, in addition to being an option for many individuals who do not qualify for open surgery.

St. Joseph's Cardiovascular Surgery Program has been ranked by Society of Thoracic Surgeons as the highest category for quality and successful outcomes in both coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and Aortic Valve Replacement (AVR) procedures. For more information on SJMC’s Morrissey Family Heart & Vascular Institute, please visit here, and to check your risk of heart disease, please visit here.