Saint Alphonsus Structural Heart Team Performs Milestone Procedure

81-year-old patient receives new lease on life with valve replacement

Boise, ID – Physicians on the Structural Heart Team at Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center have successfully completed their 500^th TAVR procedure. TAVR (Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement) is a minimally invasive heart procedure to replace a narrowed aortic valve.

The patient, an 81-year-old Boise resident, responded well to the procedure, which implants an artificial valve without removing the old, damaged valve. The new valve is placed in the heart using a catheter inserted through a large artery in the leg.

“Our TAVR outcomes are competitive with any medical center in the region, and as in the case of this patient, are giving people with heart disease a new lease on life,” said Jeffrey Heslop, MD, Saint Alphonsus Interventional Cardiologist who performed the surgery. “The fact that we can perform this procedure without open heart surgery means faster recovery time for patients, less time in the hospital and better outcomes for patients who are at an increased risk for surgery.”

Saint Alphonsus maintains a multidisciplinary team of surgeons and specialists to ensure the proper procedure and care is provided to each patient. The Structural Heart program can offer patients the full breadth of minimally invasive transcatheter procedures.

“This is a significant accomplishment for our Heart Institute and the dedicated team of doctors and support staff. Providing this type of state-of-the-art cardiac care makes Saint Alphonsus the preferred heart care option for patients from throughout southwestern Idaho and eastern Oregon,” said David McFadyen, President of Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center.

Dr. Heslop inserted the artificial valve, assisted by cardiothoracic surgeon Dr. Robert Saeid Farivar, Medical Director for Cardiothoracic Surgery at Saint Alphonsus. TAVR is a way to treat the narrowing or restriction of a blood valve that reduces blood flow without having to perform open heart surgery on a patient. For most people, it is performed by using a catheter to insert a new valve through a large artery in the leg. In most cases, the patient is discharged the following day.

Dr. Jeffrey Heslop, MD with Jerry Fackrell, recipient of the 500th TAVR at Saint Alphonsus

Saint Alphonsus Structural Heart team and hospital leaders commemorate the 500th TAVR procedure