Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) Team at Barnabas Health Heart Center at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center in New Jersey Presents at 25th Great Wall International Congress of Cardiology in Beijing

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Dec 08, 2014, 12:42 ET

NEWARK, N.J., Dec. 8, 2014 /PRNewswire/ --Physician leaders from Barnabas Health Heart Center at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center (NBIMC) in Newark, NJ, one of the nation's top 10 centers for transcatheter aortic valve replacements (TAVR), recently traveled to the 25^th Great Wall International Congress of Cardiology in Beijing – one of the largest congresses in the Asia-Pacific region and the most comprehensive and influential academic conferences on cardiology. There the shared the successes of the program with nearly 1,000 leading experts and over 13,000 participants from more than 30 countries.

Pictured (left to right) is the presenting team from Newark Beth Israel Medical Center, Chunguang Chen, MD, Director of the Non-invasive Cardiac Lab; Craig R. Saunders, MD, Chairman of Cardiothoracic Surgery; Mark J. Russo, MD, Director of the Center for Aortic Diseases; and Cindy Sturt, MD, Vascular Surgeon.

NBIMC has been performing TAVR, an FDA-approved catheter-based treatment option for patients with severe aortic stenosis, for two years, with more than 200 cases being performed and patients experiencing a significantly lower rate of stroke (a risk associated with the procedure) than the national average. Most recently, the location became the first trial site in the United States to utilize TAVR to implant a revolutionary new valve customized for patients with a small anatomy – enrolling 30 patients in five months, ranking NBIMC ahead of 51 other trial sites in the country.

According to Dr. Saunders, TAVR has brought extraordinary clinical advancements to many patients, allowing them to live longer, fuller lives. "TAVR procedures offer patients, who are too sick to undergo open-heart surgery, a less invasive procedure to replace a damaged heart valve due to aortic stenosis."

How is TAVR performed?
The TAVR valve is threaded to the heart on the tip of a catheter. The catheter is inserted in an artery at the top of the leg and guided through the blood vessel and into the heart. "With state-of-the-art imaging technology to visualize the precise placement, the new valve is expanded, pushing the leaflets of the diseased valve aside," explains Dr. Saunders. "The frame of the new valve is very strong and is anchored in place by the diseased leaflets. In the majority of cases, the new valve begins to function immediately."

Who is a candidate for TAVR?
The TAVR procedure is not right for everyone; however, it can dramatically improve the quality of life for some patients, adds Dr. Saunders. "At NBIMC we consult with a patient's cardiologist to determine the extent of his/her valve disease and any other heart or medical conditions he/she may have. We also review the anatomy of the heart with advanced cardiac imaging studies to determine the procedure's appropriateness for the patient."

For more information about TAVR at Barnabas Health Heart Center at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center, call the Barnabas Health Valve Center at 1-888-NJ-VALV.1 or visit www.barnabashealth.org/HeartCenters.

About Barnabas Health Heart Centers – Leading Cardiac Care
At Barnabas Health, an expert staff of adult and pediatric heart specialists treat patients via an expansive network of nationally recognized, award-winning heart centers – each offering the advantages of a single, multi-center program, with convenient access to consultation, testing, follow-up and home care, and rehabilitation.

Third largest heart transplant program in the nation and the largest adult heart transplant program on the East Coast
Valve Center performs more cardiac valve procedures than any other center in New Jersey
Most experienced and comprehensive heart failure and transplant program in New Jersey
New Jersey's only pediatric ECMO program
Participation in more clinical research trials than any other cardiac program in New Jersey, helping patients gain access to promising new treatments

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SOURCE Barnabas Health Heart Centers