Morton Plant Hospital Performs 500th TAVR Surgery

CLEARWATER, Fla., March 21, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Morton Plant Hospital has performed its 500^th Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) surgery. A minimally invasive heart valve replacement surgery, TAVR is a treatment for patients with severe aortic stenosis who are not candidates for open heart valve replacement surgery.

"In just over four years since we were the first in the Tampa Bay area to perform (TAVR), this approach has been a game-changer for patients and their families," said Joshua Rovin, MD, FACS, cardiovascular surgeon and medical director, Center for Advanced Valve and Structural Heart Care at Morton Plant Hospital. "We can offer patients suffering from severe aortic stenosis an option that has the potential to improve their quality of life. Our patients often find that they are able to return to activities they haven't been able to enjoy previously."

The Morton Plant Center for Advanced Valve and Structural Heart Care is a multi-disciplinary team including cardiovascular surgeons, cardiologists, and cardiac anesthesiologists focused on working together to determine the best medical or surgical options for each patient. The team was the first in the Tampa Bay area to perform the TAVR procedure in February 2012.

"It is a privilege to work with this outstanding team to help patients and their families find an option to treat their valve disease and see them return to the things they love doing," said Rovin.

The team's level of expertise in valve replacement has given Morton Plant the opportunity to participate in numerous national clinical research trials. "Currently our Morton Plant physicians have access to every available TAVR valve, including new technology currently part of clinical research trials.  Our experience has translated into world class clinical outcomes," said Rovin.

To better serve patients and their families in St. Petersburg and south Pinellas County, a satellite Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery office has opened at St. Anthony's Hospital. Staffed by BayCare's leading board-certified cardiovascular and thoracic surgeons who are part of Morton Plant's valve center, the outpatient heart surgery clinic evaluates patients and guides them through the testing process. If surgery is needed, the St. Anthony's clinic will help patients through that process and surgical procedures will be performed at Morton Plant Hospital.

Aortic stenosis is a disease process that affects the aortic valve. In late stages of the disease, the valve does not open and close properly. This causes the heart to work harder to push blood through the calcified aortic valve. Eventually the heart's muscles weaken, increasing the patient's risk of heart failure. The disease is debilitating for patients to the point that it interferes with everyday activities.

Additional disorders treated by the center include pulmonary stenosis, mitral stenosis, aortic regurgitation and mitral regurgitation. Depending on the severity of disease and other factors, patient treatment options may include medical management, minimally invasive valve repair, minimally invasive valve replacement such as Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) or Transcatheter Mitral Valve Repair (TMVR), or open heart surgery.

About Morton Plant Hospital's Cardiovascular Services
The first hospital in Tampa Bay to perform open heart surgery 40 years ago, Morton Plant Hospital is a Level II cardiac surgery program. Along with being recognized 14 times as a Truven Health Analytics Top 50 Hospital for cardiovascular care, Morton Plant has also received the Society of Thoracic Surgeon's highest level of recognition, a three-star rating.

About Morton Plant Hospital
Since 1916, Morton Plant Hospital has been committed to improving the health of all we serve through community-owned health care services that set the standard for high-quality, compassionate care. Our 687-bed hospital is proud to offer nationally recognized care delivered in more than 50 specialty areas. Morton Plant Hospital offers innovative, accessible, and quality services to provide our community with a lifetime of compassionate, convenient care. Check out information on Morton Plant's 100^th Anniversary at www.MortonPlant100.org. For more information, call (727) 953-6877, or visit us on Facebook or at 300 Pinellas St., Clearwater, Fla.

About BayCare Health System
BayCare is a leading not-for-profit health care system that connects individuals and families to a wide range of services at 14 hospitals and hundreds of other convenient locations throughout the Tampa Bay and central Florida regions. Inpatient and outpatient services include acute care, primary care, imaging, laboratory, behavioral health, home care, and wellness. Our mission is to improve the health of all we serve through community-owned, health care services that set the standard for high-quality, compassionate care. For more information, visit BayCare on the Web at www.BayCare.org.

SOURCE Morton Plant Hospital

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