CARDIOLOGY
Less invasive option for valve disease treatment
offers benefit with fewer risks
Aortic valve stenosis is one of the most common
and serious conditions affecting the heart’s valves. It
is a narrowing of the aortic valve opening, which is
the passage for oxygen-rich blood to leave the heart
and go out into the body. When the valve opening
is narrowed, the flow of this blood is blocked or
reduced.
This condition is most common in people 65 or
older, severely affecting nearly 500,000 people in
the United States each year. It can cause shortness
of breath, chest pain, congestive heart failure and,
ultimately, death if left untreated.
A revolutionary approach to treatment
Replacing the diseased valve is the standard
treatment for most patients with
aortic stenosis. Until recently,
however, the replacement had to be
done through a surgical procedure in
which the patient’s chest was opened
in order to access the heart.
In recent years, the transcatheter
aortic valve replacement (TAVR)
procedure has revolutionized
treatment for aortic stenosis. It is
minimally invasive, allowing the
surgeon to replace the valve through a
catheter placed in the femoral artery,
which runs up the thigh, through the
abdomen and to the heart.
A multitude of studies have shown TAVR to be
a safe and effective alternative to traditional valve
replacement, offering patients minimal risk and
discomfort, a shorter hospital stay (usually only one
or two days vs. five to seven days with the open
procedure), and a prompt recovery.
“Aortic stenosis is a condition
that offers a malignant course.
As with open heart surgery, this
procedure cures the condition,”
says Brett Beecher, MD, a
cardiothoracic surgeon at
Cleveland Clinic Martin Health’s
Frances Langford Heart Center.
“Many centers offer TAVR but our
team has tremendous expertise
and experience in this type of
treatment.”
Specialists at Cleveland Clinic
Studies have shown
TAVR to be a safe and
effective alternative
to traditional valve
replacement, offering
patients minimal risk
and discomfort, and a
shorter hospital stay.
Martin Health’s Frances Langford Heart Center have
more than seven years of experience with more than
500 procedures performed in many heart centers
with TAVR procedures. Our experience in TAVR and
our expertise in structural heart disease translate to
the best possible outcomes for our patients.
The Frances Langford Heart Center
The Frances Langford Heart Center’s surgical
team consists of cardiothoracic surgeons and
cardiovascular anesthesiologists working together to
provide quality care for our heart surgery patients.
TALK WITH AN EXPERT.
To schedule an appointment with
Dr. Beecher or another Cleveland Clinic
Martin Health Heart and Vascular
expert, call 844.630.4968 or visit
martinhealth.org/heart today.
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