KANKAKEE, Ill. – Riverside Heart & Vascular Institute recently celebrated a significant milestone as they successfully completed their 100th Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) procedure, offering a minimally invasive alternative to open-heart surgery for treating aortic stenosis.
According to a statement by Riverside Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Kyle Benoit, the institute’s team, led by Dr. Vikas Patel, has been working diligently to bring innovative and patient-centered care to the community, so patients no longer have to travel out of the area for their heart care needs.
Aortic stenosis is a condition that occurs when the heart’s aortic valve narrows, obstructing blood flow to the heart and the rest of the body. Severe aortic stenosis can cause symptoms such as chest pain, fainting, heart failure, and difficulty breathing.
TAVR has revolutionized aortic valve replacement by offering a minimally invasive procedure that has fewer complications, allowing patients to recover quickly and resume their normal activities. The procedure is performed in Riverside’s state-of-the-art interventional suites, where a catheter is guided through the patient’s artery to replace the diseased valve in the heart.
The Riverside Structural Heart team consists of interventional cardiologists Dr. Patel and Dr. Nathan Frogge, along with cardiac surgeon Dr. Philip Alexander and their support team, who work together closely to provide the best possible outcomes for their patients.
Dr. Patel, an interventional cardiologist at Riverside, said that TAVR combines aspects of cardiology and cardiac surgery, and the close collaboration of the Structural Heart team allows them to provide patients with severe aortic stenosis the best treatment option available to them without having to travel far from home.
Patients who undergo TAVR typically stay in the hospital for one to two nights and can be discharged home with minimal restrictions.
For those who want to learn more about the Riverside Heart & Vascular Institute, visit riversidehealthcare.org/heart.
