MemorialCare Heart & Vascular Institute at Long Beach Medical Center is First Hospital in Southern California to Perform Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation with Navitor Titon 35mm Valve

This is the first 35mm size valve implantation giving those with large native aortic valves at high-risk a minimally invasive option - avoiding open heart surgery

LONG BEACH, Calif., June 21, 2024  /PRNewswire/ -- Yesterday, MemorialCare Heart & Vascular Institute at Long Beach Medical Center was the first hospital in Southern California to implant a 35mm Abbott Titan Navitor Valve during a Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI) procedure. The TAVI procedure is crucial for patients who have severe aortic stenosis and are at extreme risk for open-heart surgery. This offers a minimally invasive approach which shortens hospital stays, reduces risk of infection and lessens recovery time.

"We are very proud of Dr. Anthony Chyou and Dr. Ali Khoynezhad for leading us through this transformational time of our heart and vascular institute," says David Shavelle, M.D., FACC, chief of cardiology, MemorialCare Heart & Vascular Institute; medical director, adult cardiology & interventional lab, MemorialCare Heart & Vascular Institute at Long Beach Medical Center. "We have always taken pride in creating an environment where our patients are given personalized treatment. The Navitor Titan 35mm Valve allowed us to provide a minimally invasive treatment option to a high-risk patient with severe aortic stenosis."

The Navitor valve is one of the newest heart valve devices approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for TAVI, also known as Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR). This device is different from other heart valve replacement valves on the market due to improved blood flow (hemodynamic) performance and ease of use.

"The intuitive design of the Navitor TAVI System allows more patients who normally would not be viable candidates for a Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement procedure access to a valve replacement," says Optum partnering physician Anthony Chyou, M.D., who is also an interventional cardiologist at MemorialCare Heart & Vascular Institute at Long Beach Medical Center. "Patients with large native aortic valves and severe aortic stenosis valve disease may not have been able to receive treatment as prior TAVI valves were not large enough to accommodate their anatomy."

Heart valve disease limits the ability of the heart to pump blood through the entire body. The Navitor TAVI System has been tested and shown to greatly improve the blood flow of patients with symptomatic severe aortic stenosis, helping their hearts resume to normal, healthy blood flow performance quickly.

"MemorialCare is dedicated to state-of-the-art, patient-centric care to our community, and this 'first in the region' procedure is a testament to our continued commitment to excellent patient care," says Ali Khoynezhad, M.D., director, aortic and arrythmia surgery, MemorialCare Heart & Vascular Institute at Long Beach Medical Center.

The Navitor TAVI System has been rigorously tested and proven to yield positive 30-day outcomes in patients with symptomatic severe aortic stenosis, including a 0% chance of moderate or severe paravalvular leak (PVL), 1.9% chance of all-cause mortality, 1.9% chance of disabling stroke, and 4.2% chance of major vascular complications, proving its remarkable safety and effectiveness in TAVR procedures.

About MemorialCare Long Beach Medical Center:
MemorialCare Long Beach Medical Center is a member of MemorialCare, a not-for-profit, integrated healthcare system. Long Beach Medical Center has been providing the community with compassionate, quality health care for more than 100 years. At the forefront of specialized care, research, and education, Long Beach Medical Center uses the most advanced healthcare technologies, including pioneering surgical systems like – ExactechGPS^® and ExcelsiusGPS^®. Recognized among the top 3% of all California acute care hospitals, Long Beach Medical Center is recognized as "Best Hospital" for OBGYN and Orthopedics and ranked regionally in the Los Angeles Metro Area by U.S. News & World Report and earned Magnet® recognition for nursing excellence. With premier centers dedicated to cancer, heart, rehabilitation, orthopedics, neurosciences, and trauma, physicians and surrounding hospitals continually refer to its accredited programs. For more information, visit memorialcare.org/LongBeach.

SOURCE MemorialCare Long Beach Medical Center