Structural Heart Care

Up until the early 2000s, there was really only one treatment option for those with severe aortic stenosis: open-heart surgery for a total aortic valve replacement. Fortunately, a solid, alternative option has emerged: transcatheter aortic valve replacement, or TAVR. Rather than replacing the old valve, the procedure puts a new, functioning valve within the old valve.

TAVR — an alternative to open-heart surgery that minimizes incisions and trauma to the body — can fully restore your heart’s function by having a new valve take over the job of the old valve, fully restoring blood flow throughout your body.

Most people with a patent foramen ovale don't need treatment. However, your doctor may recommend a procedure to close the hole in your heart if you have low blood oxygen levels linked to the patent foramen ovale or if you've had an unexplained stroke. Procedures include:

Device closure. Doctors can insert a device that plugs the patent foramen ovale during a procedure called cardiac catheterization. In this procedure, the closure device is on the end of a long, flexible tube (catheter).

The doctor inserts the device-tipped catheter into a blood vessel in the groin and guides it into place using echocardiogram images as a guide.

Complications are uncommon with this procedure but may include a tear of the heart or blood vessels, movement of the device, or irregular heartbeats (arrhythmias).

Surgical closure. A surgeon can close the patent foramen ovale by opening up the heart and stitching shut the flap-like opening. This heart surgery can be done using a very small incision and may be performed using robotic techniques.

If you or your child is having surgery to correct another heart problem, your doctor may recommend that you have the patent foramen ovale corrected surgically at the same time.

An atrial septal defect (ASD) is a hole in the wall (septum) between the two upper chambers of your heart (atria). The condition is present at birth (congenital). Some small atrial septal defects close during infancy or early childhood. However, a large, long-standing atrial septal defect can damage your heart and lungs. Surgery or device closure might be necessary to repair atrial septal defects to prevent complications.

The left atrial appendage (LAA) is a small portion off the left wall of the primary atrium of your heart where blood has the risk of pooling, potentially causing a blood clot leading to a stroke. If your doctors believe this is a cause for concern for you, you might benefit from a WATCHMAN Device.

The WATCHMAN Device is an implant designed to prevent blood clots from escaping the heart and entering the bloodstream. It is a small device — the size of a quarter once implanted and expanded — that is implanted into your LAA. The WATCHMAN Device has been found to offer as much protection from stroke as blood thinners.

The entire procedure takes about one hour, and a major benefit of the WATCHMAN is its quick recovery. After the device is implanted, you may be released from the hospital within 24 hours.

A stent — a small, metal mesh tube — is attached to the wall of your aorta, where the aneurysm is located. The aneurysm will eventually shrink around the stent, and will not be able to bleed out into your body.