A Banner interventional cardiologist created a new device that can replace damaged heart valves in patients who are too sick for surgery.
Paul Sorajja, MD, an international cardiologist at Banner-University Medical Center Phoenix, made history in 2016 as the first physician in the world to use a specialized mitral device to treat patients with severe mitral annular calcification — a condition wherein dangerous calcium buildup around the valve makes traditional surgery life-threatening, according to an Oct. 27 system news release. His device, Tendyne, can be placed through a small incision between the ribs and allows patients to go home within a week of surgery. In a study, significant improvements in heart failure symptoms and quality of life were observed in nine of 10 patients.
Tendyne is now the first FDA-approved device for patients with mitral annular calcification, which affects up to 30% of older Americans.
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