There’s hope for patients who might not qualify for conventional heart-valve replacement surgery. Alegent Creighton Health is the only location in Omaha to perform the Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) procedure. The first TAVR procedures were done this summer at Bergan Mercy Medical Center with the Alegent Creighton Health Heart & Vascular Institute (HVI). This less-invasive treatment for valve replacement helps patients with severe aortic stenosis, or narrowing of the valve that restricts blood flow out of the heart.

“These patients need surgery, but were denied because of their unstable health condition and comorbidities,” said Ruby Satpathy, M.D., interventional cardiologist, director of Structural Heart and lead for TAVR. “Many of the patients are wheelchair bound, but after the new TAVR procedure, are back to independent living without the wheelchair.”

Most patients with severe aortic stenosis have open-heart aortic-valve replacement surgery, with an incision made to the chest. However, for those turned down for conventional surgery, TAVR is possible because it’s less invasive. It’s done with a very small incision made in the groin; the valve is deployed through a catheter. During the surgery, which can last up to three hours, Dr. Satpathy is assisted by a clinical staff including another cardiologist, a surgeon, an anesthesiologist, an echocardiographer and seven nurses.

“With the extensive experience of our OR team and the collaborative care of our cardiologists and surgeons, our patients can rest assured that HVI is the best place to go for all their heart care,” said Thomas Langdon, M.D., cardiothoracic surgeon.