The Evolut FX+ TAVR system will replace all previous generations of Evolut in the coming months at UPMC.
May 13, 2024
HARRISBURG, Pa. โ An 82-year-old woman from Elliottsburg, Pennsylvania, with aortic valve stenosis was the first person in the world to undergo a new type of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) at UPMC Harrisburg. The patient has been discharged and is recovering well.
Hemal Gada, MD, president of the UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute in Central Pa. performed the procedure using the next-generation Evolutโข FX+ TAVR system approved by the FDA for the treatment of symptomatic severe aortic stenosis. Dr. Gada is the first interventional cardiologist in the world to use this latest Evolut FX+ TAVR system.
"This is a significant achievement for patient care in our region," Gada said. "The main distinguishing feature of the Evolut FX+ and the previous Evolut system is the ease of access to the coronary arteries, facilitated by the large openings in the valve frame. The improved life management of this system is very beneficial for patients. patients undergoing the TAVR procedure, especially younger patients who may require additional procedures in the future.โ
The latest Evolut FX+ TAVR system maintains the valve performance benefits of the legacy Evolut TAVR platform, but allows for larger coronary access windows through a modified diamond-shaped frame design, which is four times larger than conventional previous iterations of the Evolut TAVR system. Evolut FX+ provides greater room for catheter maneuverability to facilitate access to coronary arteries of different patient anatomies.
โUPMC Heart and Vascular Institute in Central Pa. continues to be a leader in clinical research and patient care by transforming the delivery of the Evolut platform and improving clinical outcomes, such as reducing pacemaker rates,โ Gada added. "This has impacted aortic stenosis care and made it easier for patients to leave the hospital in better health."
Severe aortic stenosis occurs when the leaflets of the aortic valve become stiff and thickened and have difficulty opening and closing, causing the heart to work harder to pump blood to the rest of the body. Severe aortic stenosis often reduces a patient's quality of life and limits daily activities. If left untreated, 50% of patients with symptomatic severe aortic stenosis can die from heart failure in as little as two years.
Pioneers in cardiovascular health since 1956, doctors at UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute in central Pennsylvania were the first in the region to perform open-heart surgery and the first to perform balloon angioplasty on coronary arteries. Other firsts include implantation of a drug-eluting coronary stent, transcatheter (minimally invasive) aortic valve procedures (TAVR), and implantation of an FDA-approved transcatheter mitral valve repair device.
Among other recognitions, UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute in Central Pa. recently earned the distinguished three-star rating, the highest rating possible, from the Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) in four of five total categories for patient care and outcomes. patient. This three-star rating places UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute in Central Pa. among the most elite cardiac surgery programs (top 1%) in the United States and Canada.
For more information about the UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute in central Pennsylvania, visit UPMC.com/CentralPaHeart.
