Since 2016, Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) procedures have helped heart patients who were considered too ill or high-risk for a surgical aortic valve replacement. Unlike traditional valve replacements, TAVR procedures deliver the replacement valve through the patient’s leg with the help of X-Ray cameras avoiding open heart surgery. In fact, the Structural Heart Team at the Tysons Corner Medical Center recently celebrated its 300th TAVR procedure.
Not only is this procedure life-changing for some members, but the team works hard to speed up the process from diagnosis to procedure. Outside KP, when a cardiac patient learns that they need a valve replacement, the 2-3 weeks leading up to their procedure can be scary and stressful. Here in KPMAS, our team schedules all 12 required tests on the same day. The patients complete a few non-invasive tests at Tysons Corner in the morning. Then, they go to Virginia Hospital Center that afternoon for catheterization and consultation with their surgery team.
Our streamlined process provides the quickest path from diagnosis to procedure. This is critical because 50% of patients who need an aortic valve replacement will die within two years of developing symptoms if left untreated. Our team of physicians, technicians, and staff acts quickly to ensure those patients don’t become part of that statistic.
After a TAVR procedure is complete, our patients are typically discharged after a day or two (compared to 4-6 days in the hospital for TAVR patients nationwide). This minimizes costs and impact to the patient’s life. The use of sedation during the procedure versus general anesthesia helps with a faster recovery timeline. While leaving the hospital in a day or two after a heart valve replacement may sound surprising, regional TAVR outcomes are comparable with some of the busiest TAVR programs nationwide.
Our members experience less shortness of breath and chest pain so they can do everyday activities more easily. For more information about TAVR, click here.
Watch for more on advances in cardiac care next week as we talk about the ways our team reduces other risks for patients who need care.
