Welcome
At the Heart Valve and Structural Heart Disease Program, we use the latest technology to repair damaged heart valves and other structural heart defects. This technology, also called catheter-based therapy, does not require open heart surgery.
What are Catheter-Based Therapies?
For many years, doctors have used catheters (long thin tubes) to take images of the heart or to place stents. Today, doctors can also use catheters to repair more complex heart problems. These procedures are called catheter-based therapies. Examples include transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) and transcatheter mitral valve repair and replacement.
We Have the Most Experience in Utah
We are Utah’s leader in the research and development of these new treatments. We have years of experience in performing catheter-based procedures, including those that have only been recently approved by the FDA. For example, we have completed over 1,000 transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) procedures.
Our Team Approach
In our program, both a cardiologist and heart surgeon will evaluate your heart and determine your treatment plan. If you are eligible, your doctors will perform the catheter-based procedure in a hybrid catheterization/operating room with state-of-the art equipment.
Am I Eligible for Catheter-Based Therapy?
Your eligibility for catheter-based therapy may depend on your age, your condition, your health history, and your surgical risk level. In addition, some catheter-based therapies are FDA-approved while others are investigational—meaning you may be asked to participate in a clinical research trial or registry. Our team will carefully evaluate all of your options with you.
Our Catheter-Based Therapies
We provide the following catheter-based therapies:
- Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) for aortic valve stenosis
- Catheter-based mitral valve repair for mitral regurgitation (FDA-approved and investigational)
- Watchman left atrial appendage closure (stroke prevention in the setting of atrial fibrillation)
- Catheter-based closure of patent foramen ovale (PFO), atrial septal defect (ASD), ventricular septal defect (VSD)
- Catheter-based paravalvular defect repair