Morristown Medical Center Leads New Jersey in Aortic Heart Valve Replacement Without Surgery
Morristown, New Jersey (PRWEB) December 14, 2017 -- Morristown Medical Center, part of Atlantic Health System, today announced its heart team performed its 1000th U.S. Food and Drug Administration -approved aortic heart valve replacement via a catheter-based minimally invasive procedure known as a transcatheter aortic valve replacement, or TAVR. This milestone means Morristown Medical Center has performed the most TAVR procedures at a single site in New Jersey.
A nationally recognized leader in cardiology and heart surgery, The Gagnon Cardiovascular Institute at Morristown Medical Center was the first hospital in New Jersey to offer TAVR for aortic stenosis, and treats more valve patients than any other hospital in New Jersey.
TAVR is a less invasive treatment option for patients with narrowing, failing aortic valves, commonly known as aortic stenosis, who are considered intermediate or high risk for a traditional, open-chest surgical aortic valve replacement. During the TAVR procedure, the heart valve is replaced using a catheter through an artery in the leg. If left untreated, aortic valve stenosis leads to serious heart problems including heart failure and death so having an alternate to surgery can literally be a life-saver.
“Morristown Medical Center’s Gagnon Cardiovascular Institute is committed to continuously working to offer less-invasive options to help our patients feel better and return to their lives faster,” said Linda D. Gillam, MD, MPH, The Dorothy and Lloyd Huck Chair of Cardiovascular Medicine at Morristown Medical Center/Atlantic Health System. “This milestone achievement is a testament to the incredible capabilities of our clinical staff, who are changing the way cardiac medicine is practiced by researching new treatments, testing them in a high-volume setting, and sharing best practices with their colleagues across the world.”
Because of its high patient volume and credibility with clinical trial sponsors—pharmaceutical, biotech, and medical device companies—the Gagnon Cardiovascular Institute is proud to be able to offer a number of clinical trials for the treatment of valvular disease, actively participating in trials for aortic, mitral and tricuspid valves.
Earlier this year, Morristown Medical Center announced it randomized the first patient in the world to the EARLY TAVR (Evaluation of Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement Compared to SurveilLance for Patients With AsYmptomatic Severe Aortic Stenosis) trial to evaluate whether there is benefit from replacing the aortic valve via the TAVR procedure before patients develop symptoms. Dr. Philippe Genereux, an interventional cardiologist and Co-Director of the Structural Heart Program at the Gagnon Cardiovascular Institute at Atlantic Health System’s Morristown Medical Center is the trial’s primary investigator.
In addition, Genereux was the lead author of a clinical research paper published on July 21 by the European Heart Journal that may change the way cardiologists classify the severity of aortic stenosis.
About Heart Care at Atlantic Health System
The Gagnon Cardiovascular Institute at Morristown and Overlook Medical Centers, part of Atlantic Health System, is home to New Jersey’s largest cardiac surgery program, providing patients with world-class medical experts and award-winning cardiovascular diagnostic and treatment services. Specializing in open-heart, minimally invasive and non-invasive procedures, Gagnon offers its patients individualized care at a hospital that was named one of America’s 50 Best Hospitals for Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery by US News and World Reports and one of America’s 100 Best Hospitals for Cardiac Care by Healthgrades. Nationally ranked in cardiology since 2012, the heart care team at Atlantic Health System includes cardiologists with expertise in multiple disciplines, vascular specialists, cardiac surgeons and allied health professionals.
About Clinical Trials at the Gagnon Cardiovascular Institute at Morristown Medical Center
Because of its volume and trusted, earned credibility with the sponsors of trials—pharmaceutical, biotech, or medical device companies— the Gagnon Cardiovascular Institute is able to offer a number of clinical trials for the treatment of valvular disease, and is actively participating in trials for aortic, mitral and tricuspid valves.
Clinical trials offer patients access to the latest treatment advancements. Though participation in a clinical trial may involve risks, Atlantic Health System works closely with the United States Food and Drug Administration to ensure patients who participate in clinical trials are watched closely by their doctors and medical team to help ensure their safety. Atlantic Health System’s institutional review board which oversees human research subject protection also closely evaluates and oversees all trials.
For more information on our current trials for patients with aortic stenosis, mitral regurgitation, heart failure, or cardiomyopathy, please visit http://www.atlantichealth.org/valveresearch, or call the Valve Center at Morristown Medical Center at (973) 971-7001.
About Atlantic Health System
Atlantic Health System, headquartered in Morristown, N.J., is an integrated health care delivery system powered by a workforce of 16,000 team members dedicated to building healthier communities. The system is comprised of 350 sites of care, including six hospitals: Morristown Medical Center, Overlook Medical Center, Newton Medical Center, Chilton Medical Center, Hackettstown Medical Center and Goryeb Children’s Hospital. Atlantic Health System also supports communities through Atlantic Medical Group, Atlantic Rehabilitation, Atlantic Home Care and Hospice, and its subsidiary, Atlantic Ambulance Corporation. Atlantic Health System sponsors the Atlantic Accountable Care Organization, one of the larger ACOs in the nation, and Optimus Healthcare Partners.
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Elaine Andrecovich, Atlantic Health System, +1 973 971 4932, [email protected]
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