Photo left to right: Dr. Harit Desai, and Dr. Rahul Gaglani
Patients who suffer from severe aortic stenosis, which is the narrowing of the heart’s aortic valve opening that restricts blood flow, now have a new option available at Temecula Valley Hospital (TVH). The 1st TAVR procedure happened this past week at TVH. Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) is an advanced heart valve replacement procedure that offers new hope to patients who have aortic valve stenosis. It is a minimally invasive procedure, which can help dramatically reduce patients’ recovery time.
“We are very pleased to offer this revolutionary procedure to replace a defective heart valve without open-heart surgery to our patients locally,” said Dr. Harit Desai, who is on the Medical Staff at Temecula Valley Hospital and performs TAVR. “Only a few hospitals have the capability to perform this advanced procedure, and this milestone highlights our commitment to our community.”
The cardiovascular program at Temecula Valley Hospital provides comprehensive heart and vascular care, including the diagnosis, intervention and advanced treatment of a wide range of conditions, including, heart attack, peripheral artery disease, deep vein thrombosis, heart rhythm disorders, and aortic stenosis.
Aortic stenosis is a common heart condition caused by the narrowing of the heart’s aortic valve due to a buildup of calcium deposits. When the valve narrows, it does not open or close properly, which makes the heart work harder to pump blood through the body. This can cause the heart to weaken and function poorly, which can lead to heart failure and an increased risk for sudden cardiac death.
TAVR is catheter-delivered aortic heart valve replacement. There is no need for a heart-lung machine because the procedure is performed while the heart is beating. A TAVR valve is made of biological material and is supported with a metal stent. A catheter is advanced into the pumping chamber of the heart under direct guidance using various imaging techniques. The heart valve is compressed and placed on a balloon catheter. The valve is positioned inside the diseased aortic valve. The balloon valve is then inflated to secure the valve in place.
For more information, please visit https://www.temeculavalleyhospital.com/services/cardiovascular-center/transcatheter-aortic-valve-replacement-tavr or call our Heart Valve Coordinator – TAVR Program at 951.285.6782.
“It’s very exciting for TVH to be able to offer this advanced cardiac care option and state of the art technology to the community that we serve,” said Darlene Wetton, Chief Executive Officer, Temecula Valley Hospital. “We continue to grow our cardiac program and I am proud that our hospital has comprehensive cardiovascular services for our region.”
About Temecula Valley Hospital
Temecula Valley Hospital brings advanced technology, innovative programs, patient-centered and family sensitive care to area residents. The hospital features 140 private patient rooms; emergency care featuring ER Reserve; advanced cardiac and stroke care; orthopedics; and general and surgical specialties. TVH is nationally recognized for Patient Safety by The Leapfrog Group, with a 2017 Top Hospital Award and patients’ consecutive ‘A’ Grades for Patient Safety in Spring 2019, Fall 2018, Spring 2018, Fall 2017, Spring 2017, and Fall 2016. The hospital also recently received Two 2019 Women’s Choice Award Achievements; One of America’s Best Hospitals for Patient Safety and One of America’s Best Stroke Centers, the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s Get With The Guidelines-Stroke Gold Plus with Target Stroke Elite Plus Quality Achievement Award and Mission: Lifeline Bronze Receiving Achievement Award, The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval for Certification for Hip and Knee Replacement, 5 Star Medicare Hospital Compare Rating, the American College of Cardiology Chest Pain Center with Primary PCI and Resuscitation Accreditation, the honor of the Inland Empire’s Top Workplaces 2017 and 2018, has been designated an Aetna Institute of Quality Cardiac Care Facility for comprehensive heart and vascular treatment-including Cardiac Medical Intervention, Cardiac Rhythm Programs and Cardiac Surgery. For more information, visit www.temeculavalleyhospital.com