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The Beat Goes On: Novel Heart Procedure Helping More People

39 views · Published 17 January 2016 · 2:06 · Indexed 27 October 2026

Channel: Lee Health · 2016 · Science & Technology

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A less intrusive way of replacing a faulty heart valve is changing the course of surgery, helping extremely ill patients in the process.

“It’s proven just as we anticipated that it would, to be a great option for those critically ill patients who might not otherwise qualify for surgery or who we felt the mortality associated with an operation would be too high,” says Dr. Brian Hummel, a cardiothoracic surgeon with Lee Memorial Health System. 

Lee Memorial Health System was the first in Florida to commercially offer the TAVR procedure. Used to replace the aortic valve, it eliminates the need for open-heart surgery. Instead, threading a catheter though an artery and deploying the new valve via an angioplasty balloon.

“The valve is loaded on the outside of a balloon and you push the balloon up with the valve over the outside of it. You blow the balloon up and the valve sticks to where you put it. You deflate the balloon and pull it out and you’re done,” says Dr. Hummel. 

No cutting involved, just a tiny poke hole where the catheter went in. The procedure has been performed more than 200 times locally here, and nationwide, the results are so good; the FDA expanded its use.

“They’ve released it to make it now just high risk patients, inoperable patients,” says Dr. Hummel. 

Surgical tools have also evolved allowing doctors to treat patients with vascular disease that made going through the groin difficult. With smaller devices, they can choose the best access point - in the neck, chest or leg.

“That just speaks to the evolution of the device. They’re getting smaller, they’re getting easier to manipulate, a little more steerable,” says Dr. Hummel. 

TAVR is also approved to re-do previously replaced tissue valves, saving the patient another major operation. 

“The results are becoming so gratifying and so astoundingly good that it’s naturally going to become more and more of a common practice,” says Dr. Hummel. 

A new direction in valve replacement; opening up a life-saving treatment to more people. 


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Lee Memorial Health System in Fort Myers, FL is the largest network of medical care facilities in Southwest Florida and is highly respected for its expertise, innovation and quality of care. For nearly a century, we’ve been providing our community with everything from primary care treatment to highly specialized care services and robotic assisted surgeries.

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