Vim & Vigor - Spring 2012 - North Mississippi - (Page 7)
Ro ge r Wall s is ha pp
y to be liv ing with a
he alt hie r he art .
ROGER WALLS The inflated balloon forces the valve open so blood flows freely again. Walls spent one night at NMMC and went home the following afternoon. “It was like getting a Christmas present for me,” he says. “Immediately I could breathe better. It’s amazing with all the technology what they can do now.” In short order, he was helping his wife, Mamie, around the house again, walking for exercise and doing yard work.
LooKING To THe FuTure
For many patients, the aortic valve may grow narrow again over time, requiring the procedure to be repeated. A promising new procedure—transcatheter aortic valve replacement—that would be more permanent was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in November 2011. This procedure gains access to the inside of the body through a needle-puncture of the skin, rather than through an “open” approach using a scalpel. NMMC is one of the first hospitals in the nation to offer the procedure. “Aortic balloon valvuloplasty is a temporary fi x. It works and people feel better, but it may have to be repeated six months to a year later,” Bertolet says. “Now we can tell patients there is a light at the end of the tunnel. If we can do transcatheter aortic valve
replacement, studies have shown we can fi x the problem, and the patient will actually live longer.” The new minimally invasive procedure is performed by a cardiologist and cardiothoracic surgeon together in NMMC’s new hybrid operating room, which is a cross between a cardiac catheterization laboratory and a surgery suite. First, the cardiologist gains catheter access to the heart in the same way as used for the aortic balloon valvuloplasty, then the cardiothoracic surgeon replaces the heart valve through the catheter. “Open surgery will still be the treatment of choice for valve replacement,” says cardiothoracic surgeon David Talton, M.D., “but for high-risk patients— those who are older or have other serious health issues—transcatheter aortic valve replacement will be an excellent option to extend life.” Studies have shown that for the first three years after a procedure, the outcome is the same between patients who had open surgery and patients who had transcatheter aortic valve replacement. Walls plans to be among the first in line for the new procedure. “That would be the best present I could ever get,” he says.
oNLINe
Since its beginnings in 1981, NMMC’s heart program has grown not only in volume but also in capabilities. To learn more, call 800-THE DESK (800-843-3375) or visit www.nmhs.net/heart_institute.
Just a Click Away
Vim & Vigor • SPRI NG 2012
7
http://www.nmhs.net/heart_institute
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Vim & Vigor - Spring 2012 - North Mississippi
Vim & Vigor - Spring 2012 - North Mississippi
Opening Thoughts
Building Healthier Hearts
Young at Heart
Caring for the Little Ones
Get Real
How Far We’ve Come
Patient Survival Guide
Perfect Attendance
Jennifer Hudson, Grammy-winning recording artist
Lean on Me
Intimidated by the Gym?
What Is Your Volunteer Style?
A Prescription for Relief
Virtual Health
SPECIAL You’ve Come a Long Way, Baby
Get Heart Healthy!
Growing Stronger
The Doctor Will See You Now
Catch the Spirit
Vim & Vigor - Spring 2012 - North Mississippi
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