June 11, 2024
HOUMA, LA— Cardiovascular Institute of the South (CIS) and Terrebonne General Health System (Terrebonne General) are the first in Louisiana to treat a patient using the new FDA-approved Evolut™ FX+ transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) system, a minimally-invasive alternative to open-heart surgical aortic valve replacement. Dr. Peter Fail, Dr. Shane Prejean, Dr. Deborah McCollum were the first to perform the procedure on June 11 in the hybrid operating room at Terrebonne General.
Designed to facilitate coronary access for varying patient anatomies, this new system takes the Evolut TAVR platform a step further for the treatment of severe aortic stenosis. It offers larger coronary access windows through a modified diamond-shaped frame design, which is four times larger than previous iterations of the Evolut TAVR system. Additionally, the new design maintains valve performance, excellent hemodynamics, and radial strength.
Aortic stenosis occurs when the aortic valve leaflets become stiff and thickened and have difficulty opening and closing, making the heart work harder to pump blood to the rest of the body. The disease can impact quality of life and limits one’s ability to participate in daily activities. If left untreated, 50% of these patients can die from heart failure in as little as two years.
“The tools for TAVR have progressed over time and this is a great new treatment option that can benefit more of our patients,” said Dr. Fail, interventional cardiologist at CIS.
CIS interventional cardiologist Dr. Shane Prejean agrees. “The additional features of the Evolut FX+ system improve upon the current technology, offering patients additional benefits when choosing this less-invasive approach to aortic valve replacement.”
Symptoms of aortic stenosis may include heart murmur, chest pain or tightness, fainting, fatigue with activity or heart palpitations. To learn more about aortic stenosis or its treatments, click here.