Minimally invasive heart procedure cleared for more people

Until recently, transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) – a procedure to replace a heart valve that fails to open as it should – was only available for high-risk patients. Due to the scope of man-made heart valves that were available, patients who were low-risk were not eligible for TAVR, and instead had to undergo open heart surgery.

However, the FDA recently approved replacement valves that are suitable for low-risk patients. The changes makes the minimally invasive TAVR procedure available to most patients who need a heart valve replaced.

“We are very excited to offer TAVR to even more of our patients, as recovery is much simpler than traditional open-heart surgery,” says Dr. Philipp Wiesner, an interventional cardiologist with CoxHealth. “Our patients’ recovery, health and well-being are great focuses, and it’s wonderful that even more of them can benefit from this procedure.”

Several CoxHealth cardiologists are certified to perform the TAVR procedure. Patients seeking more information about it may contact their physician or call 417-875-2646.