Heart Institute hit a milestone with the TAVR procedure

Heart Institute hit a milestone with the TAVR procedure

The Lee Health Heart Institute recently hit a significant milestone—the team has performed more than 2,000 transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) procedures! The expert team of interventional cardiologists, cardiothoracic surgeons, anesthesiologists and nurses began the TAVR program in 2011.

Dr. Larry Antonucci, president and chief executive officer of Lee Health.

“Lee Health Heart Institute was the first program in Florida and the second one nationally to perform this procedure on patients who weren’t in clinical trials,” explained David Cervantes, M.D., cardiothoracic surgeon. “We remain the largest program in Southwest Florida, continuing this level of excellence for our patients and the community.”

Dr. Cervantes, board-certified in thoracic surgery, says the 2,000th procedure milestone demonstrates Lee Health Heart Institute’s commitment to advancing cardiovascular healthcare. TAVR has revolutionized the treatment of severe aortic stenosis, which occurs when calcium builds up on the aortic valve, obstructing the blood flow from the heart to the rest of the body.

TAVR, a minimally invasive catheter-based procedure, can be a great alternative to open heart surgery.

“Severe aortic stenosis can lead to heart failure,” Dr. Cervantes said. “The condition makes the heart work harder to get blood to the body. Like with any muscle, working harder makes it grow bigger. Eventually, severe aortic stenosis can compromise the blood supply to the heart, which can cause heart failure.”

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