TAVR

Washington Regional’s Walker Heart Institute provides transcatheter aortic valve replacement, or TAVR. TAVR is a minimally invasive surgical procedure in which a new heart valve replaces a diseased valve or failing surgical valve for patients with severe aortic stenosis.

Aortic stenosis occurs when the leaflets, or flaps, of the aortic valve become stiff and have difficulty opening and closing, making the heart work harder to pump blood to the rest of the body. Symptoms include fatigue or weakness, dizziness, shortness of breath, chest pain or pressure, heart palpitations, fainting and cough. The condition can limit a person’s ability to participate in daily activities. If left untreated, 50% of patients with severe aortic stenosis can die from heart failure in as little as two years.

Washington Regional became the first hospital in Arkansas to offer the Evolut™ FX+ TAVR system. This iteration of the Evolut TAVR system offers a modified diamond-shaped frame design that provides more space for catheter maneuverability and allows physicians to better access patient’s coronary arteries, which is especially beneficial for younger patients who may need additional procedures in the future

During the TAVR procedure, a replacement heart valve is implanted by maneuvering a thin, flexible tube, or catheter, with the replacement valve through a blood vessel. The physician views images of the patient’s heart to guide the catheter to the diseased valve, where the replacement valve is then deployed. The new valve starts working immediately to help blood flow more efficiently through the heart.

A TAVR procedure provides beneficial treatment options to people who may not have been candidates for an open heart valve replacement and also provides a faster recovery in most cases.

Washington Regional offers TAVR using an alternative to general anesthesia for intermediate to high-risk surgical patients. Through monitored anesthesia care (MAC), or awake TAVR, patients can remain conscious during the procedure. MAC offers similar clinical outcomes to general anesthesia with a reduction of postoperative complications and a shorter length of hospital stay. Washington Regional was the first to offer monitored anesthesia care (MAC) for TAVR in Northwest Arkansas.