SUFFERN, N.Y. (November 16, 2020) – Aortic stenosis, which narrows the heart's valve opening and obstructs blood flow to the rest of the body, can lead to debilitating symptoms such as difficulty breathing, fatigue, chest pain as well as a shortened lifespan. For patients who suffer from this condition, an alternative to open-heart surgery is now available. TAVR (Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement) is being offered at Good Samaritan Hospital, a member of the Westchester Medical Center Health Network (WMCHealth).
TAVR: A Less-Invasive Care Option for Aortic Stenosis
This minimally-invasive approach enables the replacement of a diseased aortic valve, typically through the use of small punctures in the groin. It can result in less discomfort for the patient, shorter hospital stays, quicker recovery and fewer post-procedure restrictions than traditional, open-heart surgery. Good Samaritan Hospital's TAVR team is comprised of a multidisciplinary group of interventional cardiologists, cardiothoracic surgeons, imaging specialists, anesthesiologists, cardiac surgical physician assistants, cardiac nurses and a valve nurse coordinator.
"We are excited that we have more options to intervene on a diseased aortic valve – both with traditional open-heart surgery to replace the aortic valve (SAVR), and now TAVR. These options allow us to select the optimal course of treatment based on each cardiac patient's specific condition," said Cary S. Passik, MD, FACS, cardiothoracic surgeon, and Surgical Director of the TAVR program at Good Samaritan Hospital.
Comprehensive Cardiac Services Available in Rockland County
Additional cardiac services available include:
- Multidisciplinary Valve Clinic offering surgical, interventional and hybrid options for valvular conditions
- Arrhythmia Center, including the Left Atrial Appendage(Watchman TM) Closure (LAAC) Procedure
- Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery
- Valve Repair/Replacement Surgery
- All Arterial Grafting Bypass
- Dedicated Heart Failure Program offering treatment of advanced heart failure
Cardiac patients often find that choosing to have medical care and procedures close to home makes doctors' visits, hospitalization, and follow-up appointments easier and less stressful – which can be important factors to patients' healing and recovery.
For three years in a row, Good Samaritan Hospital has been recognized as one of America's 100 Best Hospitals for Coronary Intervention, according to Healthgrades, the online resource for comprehensive information about physicians and hospitals. Additionally, the hospital has been consistently awarded Healthgrades' Five-Star Coronary Intervention honor which indicates clinical outcomes that are statistically significantly* better than national averages when treating the condition being evaluated.
WMCHealth Works Together to Provide Specialized Cardiac Care
As a member of WMCHealth, Good Samaritan Hospital has an established affiliation with Westchester Medical Center's Health's Heart & Vascular Institute in Valhalla, NY. The relationship allows for open communication between physicians and the sharing of resources and expertise to improve care. Patients can benefit from the experience of Westchester Medical Center's TAVR program which has performed close to 800 aortic valve replacement (TAVR) procedures. Additionally, when a higher level of care is required, the collaboration offers patients seamless transfers to advanced cardiac and vascular services including heart transplant, and temporary or long-term mechanical circulatory support.
Patients with aortic stenosis may call 845.368.8800 to schedule a consultation with the valve team to help determine whether TAVR is an appropriate approach for them.
*For its analysis, Healthgrades evaluated approximately 45 million Medicare inpatient records for nearly 4,500 short-term acute care hospitals nationwide to assess hospital performance in 32 common conditions and procedures, and evaluated outcomes in appendectomy and bariatric surgery using all-payer data provided by 16 states. Healthgrades recognizes a hospital's quality achievements for cohort-specific performance, specialty area performance, and overall clinical quality. Individual procedure or condition cohorts are designated as 5-star (statistically significantly better than national average)