PinnacleHealth is the first to implant aortic valve

With aortic stenosis affecting as many as 23 percent of people, according to the American College of Cardiology, physicians are always finding new ways to treat this disease with more innovative measures. PinnacleHealth has become the first hospital system to implant the Edwards Intuity Elite valve after its approval by the FDA.

The new valve is a device that offers a faster deployment while also being minimally invasive to the patient. The lead surgeon on the valve implants was Mubashir Mumtaz, MD, FACS, FACC, chief of cardiothoracic surgery and surgical director of the structural heart program at PinnacleHealth. He performed an intercostal surgical aortic valve replacement (iSAVR), going through the ribs to reach the heart, valve bypasses muscles and cartilage without dividing them.

In clinical trials done on the Edwards valve, patients had lower rates of mortality and morbidity and decreased time spent in the hospital. After a year the valve was shown to reduce cross-clamp and cardiopulmonary bypass time when compared the Society of Thoracic Surgeons' Adult Cardiac Database

"We are able to offer our patients with aortic stenosis less invasive surgical options such as iSAVR. This can mean less trauma, quicker recovery and decreased need for blood transfusions," states Dr. Mumtaz in a prepared statement. "This milestone in cardiac treatment can reassure the community that nationally recognized heart care is available close to home."