Heart Innovation at UAB: First Valve-in-Valve Procedure Using Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement System

A structural heart team at the University of Alabama at Birmingham Cardiovascular Institute has recently completed the first valve-in-valve procedure using a new transcatheter aortic valve replacement system. This device is specifically designed to treat patients with symptomatic severe aortic stenosis who are at high or extreme risk for open-heart surgery.

The new system offers surgeons a larger coronary access window and increased space to access a patient’s coronary arteries, leading to lower mortality rates, lower stroke rates, and overall better patient outcomes. Aortic stenosis is a serious heart condition that affects thousands of Americans each year by narrowing the heart’s aortic valves, potentially reducing or blocking blood flow to the rest of the body and even leading to death.

Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) is a minimally invasive procedure that replaces the thickened aortic valve with a man-made valve, offering an alternative to open-heart surgery. TAVR helps restore blood flow and reduce the signs and symptoms of aortic valve stenosis, often resulting in shorter hospital stays compared to surgical valve replacement.

The UAB Cardiovascular Institute has performed more TAVR procedures than any other hospital in the state, demonstrating their expertise in innovative heart treatments. To learn more about their cutting-edge procedures and services, visit uabmedicine.org/heart.