UHS Heart & Vascular Institute performs 1,000th TAVR procedure

In November, the UHS Structural Heart Disease and Valve Clinic team reached a remarkable milestone by performing the 1,000th TAVR (Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement) procedure. This milestone marks the 1,000th patient given the opportunity to have a better life and return to an active lifestyle.

“The TAVR procedure has helped a lot of people in our community. The most rewarding part is seeing our patients get better and hearing them say thank you. They are happy to get their life back and enjoy activities as much as they used to before they got sick,” said Alon Yarkoni, MD, FACC, director of the UHS Structural Heart Program.

UHS cardiologists were the first in the Greater Binghamton area to perform the TAVR procedure, with the first occurring at UHS Wilson Medical Center in December 2014.

TAVR is used to treat patients with a diseased aortic valve. This can occur when the leaflets of the aortic valve build up calcium deposits preventing them from opening properly, making it harder for the heart to pump blood to the rest of the body.

This procedure is a minimally invasive alternative to open-heart surgery, allowing a catheter to replace the heart valve through a small incision in the leg instead of open-heart surgery. The new valve is inserted within the diseased aortic valve, pushing the leaflets of the diseased valve aside and securing the frame in place.

Most procedures take about 60 minutes, and recovery time is quick. Patients are walking within hours and typically discharged the next day.  

The TAVR procedure involves a multidisciplinary team of healthcare professionals, which includes implanting cardiologists, heart surgeons, cardiac catheterization lab registered nurses, radiology technicians and anesthesiologists. To ensure a smooth recovery following the procedure, a team of dedicated doctors, nurses and nurse practitioners closely care for the patient from the recovery room to the time of discharge.

“The TAVR program has been rewarding to be a part of and to watch it grow as much as it has over the last ten years. I am proud of our team for making this a successful program,” said Dr. Yarkoni. “We are fortunate to have this crucial therapy available right here in our community.”

According to the American College of Cardiology, since the first commercial approval by the FDA in 2011, more than 300,000 TAVR procedures have been performed in the United States.

If you would like to learn more about our heart care services at UHS Heart & Vascular Institute, please click here.