News for Health Professionals

Heart Rhythm Disorders

Micra^® Transcatheter Pacing System

• Miniaturized leadless pacemaker for patients with bradycardia that provides advanced pacing technology with reduced risk for infection or lead complications

Watchman™ Device

• Permanent heart implant to occlude the left atrial appendage through an endovascular approach
• Reduces the risk of stroke for patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation and offers an alternative to the lifelong use of anticoagulation medications such as warfarin for patients with increased bleeding risk

Hybrid Ablation

• Minimally invasive procedure that combines catheter ablation on inside of the atrial wall with minimally invasive surgery to access outside of the heart
• Performed in Winchester Medical Center’s hybrid room by a cardiac surgeon and an electrophysiologist

Cryoablation

• Allows the electrophysiologist to treat the whole area of heart tissue that causes A-Fib at one time, reducing the procedure time compared to radiofrequency ablation

How to Refer: Call Winchester Cardiology and Vascular Medicine | Valley Health at 540-662-0306.

Heart Failure

Outpatient Ventricular Assist Device (VAD) Clinic

• Multidisciplinary mechanical circulatory support team provides outpatient care for local heart failure patients who already have implanted devices
• Specialized expertise and 24-hour access to a local advanced heart failure/VAD team allow for better management of these high-risk patients on a timely basis
• Patients needing additional care are transferred to their VAD implant center

Valley Health Advanced Heart Failure & Cardiomyopathy Center

• Resources to help patients and their primary care provider or cardiologist manage advanced heart failure and cardiomyopathy
• Outpatient evaluation and monitoring, outpatient IV infusion services and inpatient rounding, along with patient education and support
• Multidisciplinary team includes a fellowship-trained heart failure cardiologist, an experienced cardiology nurse practitioner, nurses, pharmacists, dietitians and other specialists

CardioMEMS™ Heart Failure System

• Measures and monitors pulmonary artery pressure and heart rate in certain heart failure patients with the goal of reducing heart failure hospital admissions and improving quality of life
• Small pressure-sensing device implanted directly into the pulmonary artery during cardiac catheterization procedure
• Home electronics unit transmits the sensor’s data wirelessly to the patient’s doctor

How to Refer: Call the Advanced Heart Failure Center at 540-536-4555.

Heart Valve Disease

Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR)

• Protected TAVR using the Sentinel™ Cerebral Protection System, the first device available in the U.S. to protect patients from the risk of stroke during TAVR
• System captures and removes calcified valve or other materials dislodged during the TAVR procedure, preventing the debris from traveling through the arteries to the brain

Mitral Valve Repair

• Surgical repair as well as the catheter-based MitraClip™ device
• Participating in mitral valve repair trial studying the Neochord device that allows surgeons to replaced damaged chordae while the heart is beating

How to Refer: Call the Advanced Valve Center at 540-536-4000.

Preventive Cardiology Clinic

• Services for patients who may be at higher risk for heart disease because of family history of coronary artery disease, personal and family history of hyperlipidemia, genetic conditions and other factors
• Assessment, screening, education and follow-up care
• Coordination of advanced cardiac imaging such as cardiac CT, cardiac MRI and coronary artery calcium scoring

How to Refer: Call Winchester Cardiology and Vascular Medicine | Valley Health at 540-662-0306.

Aortic Aneurysm near the Kidneys

Fenestrated Endovascular Aortic Aneurysm Repair

• Minimally invasive approach that allows vascular surgeons to repair an aortic aneurysm located near or around the branch arteries to the kidneys and other organs
• Surgeon creates holes in the stent graft called fenestrations that allow blood to flow to the kidneys by the use of smaller grafts

How to Refer: Call Valley Health Vascular Surgeons at 540-536-6721.

Coronary Artery Disease

Minimally Invasive CABG

• Coronary artery bypass grafting through small incisions to replace clogged arteries with a healthy vessel graft
• Procedure does not require stopping the heart, and a heart-lung machine is not required; provides an alternative to standard open-heart bypass surgery (CABG) when bypassing one or two coronary arteries

How to Refer: Call Valley Health Cardiothoracic Surgeons at 540-536-6721.

Carotid Artery Disease

Trans-carotid Artery Revascularization (TCAR)

• Helps reduce the risk of stroke during stenting to correct carotid artery stenosis
• Tube placed directly into the carotid artery through a smaller incision than a typical carotid endarterectomy incision.
• Tube connected to a system that directs blood flow away from the brain to protect against loosened plaque reaching the brain.
• System filters blood outside the body and returns filtered blood through a second tube in the femoral vein.
• After stent has been placed, blood flow is resumed in its normal direction

How to Refer: Call Valley Health Vascular Surgeons at 540-536-6721.