Heart Hospital of Austin has worked toward less invasive procedures for patients, shifting from open-heart surgery to minimally invasive techniques through its research department, said Dr. Faraz Kerendi, Director of the Heart Valve Clinic at Heart Hospital of Austin.
The details
Under the umbrella of St. David’s Healthcare, the hospital focuses on various cardiac and vascular procedures.
Kerendi said the specialty hospital’s research department has worked on “the cutting edge” of new technological advancements, such as catheter-based treatment or smaller surgical incisions.
Heart valve surgery required open-chest surgery about 10 years ago. The field then evolved to treating aortic valves through the groin, which was less invasive than the open chest surgery.
Since then, technology has improved to include trials for minimally-invasive procedures in other heart valves, Kerendi said.
For patients that need more advanced surgery, doctors are now able to do valve replacement through a two-inch incision through the ribs, rather than a traditional open heart surgery, he said.
Minimally invasive surgeries can be beneficial for patients of all ages, Kerendi said. For younger patients, they can return to activity earlier rather than a monthslong recovery period after more invasive procedures.
For older patients, they often cannot undergo invasive operations due to age and high risk of complications. With less invasive procedures, they can be a more viable candidate for treatment, he said.
What else?
The Heart Hospital research team is also working on trials to treat aortic aneurysms, which can often be fatal, he said.
Additionally, Kerendi said the hospital’s heart saver CT scan can provide information about a patient’s heart health, such as risks for heart attack and calcium in the coronary arteries. He encourages people in their 40s and 50s to take the scan, which can also identify problems that have not shown symptoms yet.
