There they go again.
St. Tammany Health System’s heart valve replacement team, which in 2019 became the first on the Northshore to offer the game-changing, minimally invasive TAVR procedure, has introduced another innovation.
On Oct. 5, the team became the first in Louisiana to successfully implant in a patient the newest Edwards SAPIEN 3 Ultra RESILIA valve, which earned FDA approval in December, clearing the way for its use in patients starting this past September.
This groundbreaking valve, which is the only dry storage transcatheter heart valve currently on the U.S. market, was engineered with anti-calcification technology to address one of the primary causes of reintervention following heart valve replacement, according to Edwards.
It’s also another display of the spirit of teamwork and innovation on which the St. Tammany Health System Structural Heart Program prides itself, according to program Coordinator Karolina Ruthner, NP.
“This shows the tremendous difference we make in patient care, always offering the latest technology for best outcomes,” Ruthner said.
In 2019, St. Tammany Health System introduced the Northshore to TAVR, or Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement, a minimally invasive procedure in which a malfunctioning heart valve is replaced without requiring open-heart surgery, resulting in dramatically shorter recovery times and fewer complications.
Since then, St. Tammany and its partner Ochsner Health have worked together to perform hundreds of TAVR procedures, getting patients back on their feet and living an active life quickly and safely. The program earned TAVR certification from the American College of Cardiology in 2021.
Because it is available to patients in all risk categories, TAVR can be an effective option to improve quality of life in patients who otherwise have limited choices for repair of their aortic valve.
As with any surgical procedure, there can be complications. If you think TAVR might be an option for you, ask your doctor or call STHS Structural Heart Clinical Coordinator Karolina Ruthner at (985) 871-5826.
Learn more about the TAVR program at STHS at StTammany.health/TAVR.