Patient Spotlight Sharon Hoover
TAVR and LAAO Closure Device Procedure The Heart Lung Vascular Institute now offers new options for atrial fibrillation patients. These minimally invasive procedures include Mini-Maze Surgical Therapy, Pulmonary Vein Isolation, and the LAAO closure device. Patients with aortic valve stenosis have the minimally invasive procedure option of a transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). For years, Sharon Hoover had experienced symptoms caused by atrial fibrillation. When one particular episode required a trip to the emergency department, she and her husband chose the medical center. Within a couple of weeks, Sharon was under the care of William J. Mahlow, MD, a cardiac electrophysiologist with University Cardiology. Mahlow diagnosed her with aortic valve stenosis. That’s a type of heart valve disease where the valve between the lower left heart chamber and the body’s main artery (the aorta) doesn’t open fully. It can cause the heart to beat irregularly. As a result, Sharon would need a valve replacement. Mahlow determined that Sharon was a candidate for the TAVR procedure. TAVR is much less invasive than traditional open-heart surgery, which means faster recovery time and less risk.
“One of my greatest joys is to care for a patient as they receive a treatment or procedure that dramatically reduces crippling symptoms or gets rid of a significant threat to their life. I am so glad to be able to offer these advanced, minimally invasive therapies to so many patients who need them,” said Mahlow. Sharon underwent the TAVR procedure and was discharged the following day. Her recovery was so minimal that, six days later, she went on vacation to Florida with her husband and her sister. “Other than not lifting anything over 10 pounds for a week, I had no restrictions, so there was very little disruption to my life,” Sharon said. To further reduce the risk of stroke, Sharon’s medical team also recommended a follow-up procedure to implant a LAAO closure device. The LAAO closure device is a one-time, minimally invasive procedure for people with atrial fibrillation not caused by a heart valve problem. Non-valvular atrial fibrillation, as it is known, can mean a lifetime of blood thinners, which can also lead to concerns about issues like bleeds and falls. Sharon had seen the LAAO closure device advertised on television and she had researched the device online. “I wanted to decrease the medications I was taking,” she said. “Blood thinners make you bruise easily, and I was concerned about the risk of a stroke. In addition, my insurance no longer covered the cost of one of the prescriptions.” Six weeks following the LAAO closure device implant, Sharon was able to stop taking the blood thinner.
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