Guthrie celebrates 100 successful TAVR heart procedures

The Guthrie Cardiac and Vascular Center held a luncheon on Sept. 25 in Sayre, Pa. in celebration of completing 100 successful transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) procedures since the program began in August 2014.

All previous TAVR patients were invited to join the celebration as special guests. Former TAVR patient, Mildred Mansfield of Horseheads, N.Y., described her experience with TAVR saying, “It was a miracle. I turned 88 this month, and I didn’t expect to live to see it. Now I’m back on my feet living the active lifestyle I’m used to. Everybody on the TAVR team at Guthrie was wonderful, and I’m so grateful to them.”

The program included remarks from a number of members of the Guthrie Cardiac and Vascular Center and TAVR team.

Dr. Edo Kaluski, program director, said, “Guthrie is proud to offer this specialized procedure to high and moderate risk cardiac patients giving them the chance to live a longer, better quality life. The Guthrie Cardiac and Vascular Team remains committed to offering our patients the highest level of care within our state-of-the-art facilities. We are excited to be celebrating this milestone, and thankful to these patients who have trusted their heart to us.”

TAVR is a minimally invasive valve replacement procedure that can be an alternative to standard open-heart surgery. Recently, this procedure, which was only available to high-risk patients, was FDA approved for moderate risk patients as well. TAVR patients typically benefit by spending fewer days in the intensive care unit (ICU) and from a shorter hospital stay and a faster recovery period, and some patients can avoid anesthesia during the procedure.