Another Milestone for Cooper . . . the 200th TAVR Procedure

By Sajjad A. Sabir, MD

On Friday, November 14, 2014, the team from Cooper Heart Institute’s Structural Heart Disease Program performed the 200th TAVR (Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement; sometimes referred to as TAVI) procedure.

This represents a major milestone, and the culmination of many years of training and experience for Cooper University Hospital’s Structural Heart Disease Program team.

Cooper University Hospital is one of the first 50 sites in the country, and the first in New Jersey, to implant the first FDA approved TAVR device. The Cooper Structural Heart Disease Program is a fine example of a successful collaborative effort between the cardiothoracic surgeons, the Cooper Heart Institute, and the Cardiovascular Associates of Delaware Valley. Cooper has performed more TAVR procedures than any other hospital in southern New Jersey.

TAVR is a minimally invasive procedure that allows for the replacement of a diseased aortic valve due to aortic stenosis with a new valve without requiring open-heart surgery. The new valve is inserted through a small incision in the leg and it works right away, offering an immediate improvement in symptoms, and prolonging survival. This game-changing technology had been highly anticipated by physicians for some time and has now become a gold standard for treating inoperable patients and an excellent alternative for high-risk patients. Its use in lower risk patients is currently being studied.

When it comes to assessing patients for TAVR versus open heart surgery, at Cooper, we employ a team approach, harnessing the clinical and technical expertise of multiple specialists to offer the best treatment course for a patient. The team includes cardiac surgeons, interventional cardiologists, non-invasive cardiologists, imaging specialists (echocardiography as well as CT), cardiac anesthesiologists, nursing and technologic specialists among others. The procedure is performed in a state-of-the-art hybrid operating room combining advanced imaging technology and facilities that allow the team to perform this delicate implant procedure.

Congratulations to the Structural Heart Disease Program team on reaching this important milestone.

To make an appointment with a Cooper Heart Institute physician or to schedule diagnostic testing, call 1.888.342.2034. Or go online at appointments.cooperhealth.org.

To set up an appointment for TAVR or any other heart valve disease assessment, call 856.296.6516.

For more information on the TAVR procedure or other cutting-edge structural heart disease interventions offered at Cooper, go to CooperHealth.org/TAVR.

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