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Genesis: First Hospital to do New Heart Procedure in the Quad Cities

Genesis Health System is the first hospital in the Quad Cities to do a Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement, or TAVR.

Genesis Health System is the first hospital in the Quad Cities to do a Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement, or TAVR.

A TAVR replaces a shrinking heart valve with a man made one. It does not involve an open heart surgery. Patients like 78 year-old Ameila Garmon, are at high risk for open heart surgery.

"Towards the end I couldn't even do much of anything,"  Garmon said. "I mean, I couldn't even stand up at church to sing."

The TAVR uses a catheter with a balloon that is inside of the new valve. With the catheter and valve next to the heart, technicians will blow up the balloon, so the old valve will open back up, and blood will flow freely.

"If the valve won't open, then the heart has to generate a tremendous amount of work and pressure to pump the blood through that tiny opening," Genesis Cardiologist Jon Robken said.

Just an hour-and-a-half after the TAVR started, the procedure was over. The old valve was never removed in the procedure. Two days after the procedure, Garmon said she was very glad she had it done.

"I'm going to be able to do what I want to do," Garmon said. "Maybe I am getting old, but I still want to be able to do something."

For more information on the Genesis Heart Institute, click here.

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