PMC doctors perform state’s first CoreValve procedure

The Portneuf Medical Center is the first hospital in Idaho to replace a heart valve using the newest, cutting-edge technology known as the Medtronic CoreValve.

This is different from the regular Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement procedure PMC first led the way in this past year, because this is the first procedure where the valve deploys on its own so you can keep the heart beating.

PMC director of cardiology Dr. Jacob DeLaRosa said, with the normal TAVR procedure, you have to fibrillate the heart in order to make sure the balloon is in place.

Just like the TAVR procedure, this new technology allows doctors to replace the valve without ever once having to open the chest. But unlike TAVR, this now allows doctors to perform that same procedure while keeping the heart beating.

“This is the first one that’s a self-deployable valve so it deploys on its own as soon as you put it into the right position,” DeLaRosa said. “So, the advantage is that you can keep the heart beating as you’re able to deploy the valve.”

In fact, DeLaRosa was able to perform the first procedure on Thursday, while the state’s first Medtronic CoreValve patient was sleeping.

Donald Best said he has had congestive heart failure and severe lung damage. So, although his personality is tough, his body was not able to handle surgery.

In fact, Best had the 45 minute procedure done less than four days prior to his interview today, where he said he can’t remember the last time he felt so healthy.

DeLaRosa said, while open-heart surgery patients typically need a five-day hospital stay followed by at least two months of recovery time, patients of this procedure will be home between 24-and-48 hours after the procedure is done.

Here is a video animation of what happens during this procedure:http://bit.ly/1uSJJO5