Ascension Providence completes 100th TAVR procedure

Ascension Providence is proud to announce the completion of its 100th Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) procedure. Ascension Providence began offering TAVR procedures in October 2018, a minimally invasive procedure with many benefits for heart patients seeking an aortic valve replacement. Through a strategic partnership with Waco Cardiology Associates and Ascension Medical Group Providence Cardiovascular, Ascension Providence offers the only TAVR program and procedure in Waco.

"Today, we celebrate 'number 100,' and I'm so proud of what we've accomplished in a short period of time. Fortunately, our first 100 patients have experienced remarkably positive outcomes, and I feel privileged to have been a part of that - each patient has meant so much to me. Beyond the number itself, I am equally proud, and inspired by, each member of this team and their dedication and unified commitment to providing our patients with the highest quality care. I want to celebrate them today as well," said Dr. Brian Barnett, Interventional Cardiologist of Waco Cardiology Associates and Medical Director of the Structural Heart Program at Ascension Providence. “I am thankful we have been successful thus far, and look forward to the future.”

The TAVR procedure enables the placement of a new aortic valve into the heart via a catheter that is inserted through an incision in the groin area and guided up to the heart through the circulatory system. With an average hospital stay of one night, this treatment method can offer a much shorter recovery time—one to two weeks, versus six to eight weeks with the traditional sternotomy.

The benefits of the TAVR procedure include:

• Shorter recovery time and hospital stay
• Minimally invasive treatment
• No need for cardiopulmonary bypass or stopping the heart
• Significantly less pain than open heart surgery
• Life-saving option for high-risk patients