When Covington native Richard Hodgson had the chance to make history, he took it.
The 75-year old has a genetic disorder called Brugada syndrome and aortic valve stenosis, one of the most common and deadly forms of heart disease.
Hodgson’s cardiologist had been monitoring him for about two years when symptoms suggested it was time to consider valve replacement, traditionally an open procedure (surgical aortic valve replacement or SAVR).
Hodgson owns a corporate janitorial business and lives an active life with wife Julia Ann and dog Sadie. He was concerned weeks of post-surgical recovery would curtail their LSU season ticket commitments for cheering on their beloved Tigers.
His doctor told Hodgson St. Tammany Health System was developing a program for transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), the first hospital on the Northshore to launch such a program.
The less invasive TAVR would not require Hodgson’s chest to be opened, only small incisions similar to angioplasty (threading a catheter to unblock heart arteries).
“Compared to the hours of surgery and days in the hospital after open heart, I was interested,” admitted Hodgson. “I am my business, so if I’m laid up in the hospital, my business is suffering. I told (my doctor) as soon as he and St. Tammany were ready, I was ready too.”
On Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2019, Hodgson became St. Tammany Health System’s first TAVR patient.
In the procedure, a surgeon threads a catheter through the arteries from a small incision in groin, neck or space between the ribs to place the mesh valve where the diseased valve exists. The entire procedure typically takes an hour or two, and patients typically go home in one to two days.
“This is a program, not a procedure,” explained Shannon Holley, STPH department head of cardiovascular services. “We have developed an entire program with a care coordinator and heart team that follow our patients leading into TAVR, during the procedure to post-procedure recovery and follow-up. We are committed to delivering the safest, most innovative advances in cardiac care at St. Tammany.”
The STPH TAVR program begins with Karolina Ruthner APRN, nurse practitioner and valve program coordinator. She helps patients navigate the experience before, during and after the procedure.
“We work with the cardiologists and surgeons to determine the best patients for this procedure,” explained Ruthner, “and we follow each patient’s case through a series of tests and diagnostics that determine the best care plan. Then through the procedure and onto recovery and beyond.”
Once the patient is established to be a TAVR candidate, Ruthner arranges the heart team, including interventional cardiologist, cardiovascular surgeon and support team including nurses and technologists from the cath lab, along with the surgical team and anesthesia professionals to ensure both the minimally invasive and the open procedure are prepped and available.
“Any TAVR case has some risk for needing to become an open case,” explained Holley. “As part of our program, we have set up a cath lab with the equipment and personnel we need to perform the TAVR or to switch to an open heart surgery should that become necessary.”
After the Wednesday morning procedure, Hodgson recovered in the hospital and went home Thursday evening. He was back to his usual neighborhood walk Friday.
“I’ll admit it was a short walk, but I haven’t missed much,” Hodgson said, “The only game I missed was that weekend, Utah State, but I was back in the stands the following week for homecoming to see them beat Florida.”
As December opened, the Hodgsons cheered the Tigers to victory Dec. 7 in Atlanta, bought playoff tickets and had an eye on Superdome passes Jan. 13 to cheer on their LSU Tigers to the best season in team history.
“As Coach O says, ‘Geaux Tigers!’” said Hodgson with a grin.