Baptist is First in Jackson Selected for Breakthrough Heart Valve Technology
Baptist Medical Center in Jackson, Miss., has been named the Jackson area’s first site to offer transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) technology for the treatment of aortic stenosis in selected patients.
The Edwards SAPIEN Valve, approved by the FDA in November 2011, is designed to replace a patient’s diseased aortic valve without the need for open-heart surgery or the use of a heart-lung machine.
“This new technology is not only exciting for me professionally, but is exciting for improvements it will offer in the quality of life for patients in our state and surrounding areas,” said Baptist Cardiovascular Surgeron William Harris, MD. “Beginning today, people who formerly had no options with regards to treatment of their narrowed aortic valves will now have the potential to receive a new heart valve without having any incision on their chest. This procedure will not only greatly diminish their chance of an early death, but it will also improve their quality of life. Our heart team at Mississippi Baptist Medical Center is pleased to be one of the first centers in the Southeastern US to offer this treatment.”
The Edwards SAPIEN Valve is the first TAVR therapy to receive FDA approval. This technology enables physicians to place a prosthetic aortic heart valve into the body via a catheter that is inserted through a cut in the leg, and threaded up to the heart.
Up to 1.5 million people in the United States suffer from aortic stenosis, a progressive disease that affects the aortic valve of their hearts. The aorta is the main artery carrying blood out of the heart. When blood leaves the heart, it flows through the aortic valve, into the aorta.
In aortic stenosis, a buildup of calcium on the aortic valve prevents it from opening fully. This decreases blood flow from the heart. With severe symptomatic aortic stenosis, people often develop debilitating symptoms that can limit normal day-to-day activities, such as walking short distances or climbing stairs.
Aortic stenosis is typically a disease of the elderly, as calcium buildup on heart valves occurs as one gets older. Aortic stenosis most typically occurs in patients older than 75 years of age. In a minority of cases, a congenital heart defect, rheumatic fever, radiation therapy, medication or inflammation of the membrane of the heart can also cause the valve to narrow.
According to guidelines of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association, surgical aortic valve replacement (AVR) is indicated in virtually all symptomatic patients with severe aortic stenosis who are otherwise healthy enough to undergo surgery. Patients who do not receive an aortic valve replacement have no effective, long-term treatment option to prevent or delay their worsening condition. Without surgery, severe symptomatic aortic stenosis is life-threatening. Studies indicate that 50 percent of patients will not survive more than an average of two years after the onset of symptoms.
Prior to the advent of TAVR, there was no definitive treatment available for patients who are unable to undergo open-heart surgery for AVR, the gold standard treatment for most adult patients with severe AS.
About Edwards Lifesciences
Edwards Lifesciences is the global leader in the science of heart valves and hemodynamic monitoring. The Edwards SAPIEN Transcatheter Heart Valve builds upon Edwards Lifesciences’ more than 50 years of continuous refinement in surgical heart valve technology, and successful collaboration in device development with clinicians. This foundational experience in heart valve technology has translated into demonstrated durability of the company’s surgical heart valves and positive patient outcomes – establishing Edwards as a leader in the science of heart valves.
About Baptist Health Systems
Baptist Health Systems is the parent company of Baptist Medical Center, The Mississippi Hospital for Restorative Care and a number of related healthcare services and programs. For over 100 years, Baptist Medical Center has served Mississippi and the surrounding states as a Christian-based, non-profit comprehensive medical Center. In 2012, no hospital in Mississippi has more Five-Star Ratings than Baptist Medical Center in Jackson, Miss., as recognized by HealthGrades, America’s leading independent healthcare ratings organization. HealthGrades listed Baptist among the best 100 hospitals in the nation for orthopedic Surgery, joint Replacement, general surgery, and prostatectomy and number one in Mississippi for coronary interventions and vascular surgery.Visit Baptist on the web at www.mbhs.org. For more information contact the Baptist Health Line at 1-800-948-6262 or 948-6262.
