New Research Published on Transcatheter Aortic-Valve Replacement with a Balloon- Expandable Valve in Low-Risk Patients

Baylor Scott & White Health Contributes to Study in New England Journal of Medicine

More patients considered for microscopic incision used as an alternative
to open-heart surgery according to new research published by New England Journal of Medicine.

New research around a technique to repair heart valves – Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) – was announced today. The findings of the PARTNER 3 study are published in the New England Journal of Medicine as Transcatheter Aortic-ValveReplacement with a Balloon-Expandable Valve in Low-Risk Patients, and could expand future treatment options for low surgical risk patients with aortic stenosis, a condition largely treated with open heart surgery. The findings demonstrated reduced complications, lower chances for infection, quicker recovery, and a shorter hospital stay.

Michael Mack, MD, medical director of cardiothoracic surgery at Baylor Scott & White Health and chairman of Baylor Scott & White The Heart Hospital – Plano Research Center, was the national co-principal investigator for the study. Baylor Scott & White The Heart Hospital – Plano was a lead site for the national study and Baylor Scott & White Medical Center – Temple was a participating site. Baylor Scott & White enrolled the most patients in the nation for this landmark clinical trial.

Baylor Scott & White's history with TAVR goes back nearly 15 years. In 2004, research began in Leipzig, Germany, and investigators at Baylor Scott & White The Heart Hospital – Plano worked with German colleagues to test the approach. TAVR was performed in humans as part of early clinical trials less than five years later. In the US to date, about 60,000 patients receive TAVR – generally high or moderate risk patients – and 25,000 patients undergo traditional open-heart surgery annually. Baylor Scott & White is the largest provider of this innovative therapy in the state of Texas and treats about 800 TAVR patients on last year across its system.

PARTNER 3 is the fifth study in a series of trials evaluating TAVR compared with open heart surgery in patients with various degrees of surgical risk. Preceding studies led to FDA approval of TAVR use in patients deemed high or moderate risk for complications or adverse outcomes from surgery, such as death, stroke or the need for re-hospitalization.

Learn more about Baylor Scott & White's TAVR work and research on Scrubbing.In here.

Learn more about Baylor Scott & White's heart valve disease treatment options here.

 

# # #

Media Contact:

Deke Jones
Deke.Jones@bswhealth.org

214-820-6722 (office)