If a child has any type of surgery, it can be a distressing event for the whole family.
A cutting-edge medical innovation at Valley Children's Hospital is enabling young patients to bypass open-heart surgery and recover more quickly.
"Rather than undergoing open heart surgery, a stay in the ICU, or a typical multi-day hospitalization, patients are often walking around within a few hours on the same day," says Dr. Teresa Evabs,
With the Medtronic Harmony Transcatheter Pulmonary Valve, medical professionals can assist young patients requiring a significant pulmonary valve replacement using a less aggressive method.
Moving upward through the abdomen and into the heart, then across to the valve, where it needs to be," said Dr. Evans. "After that, we can insert a valve using a small tube.
Dr. Evans effectively utilized the equipment earlier this year.
She mentions that the procedure will benefit older children.
These are valves designed for patients with significant blood flow from their heart," she explained. "We've had valves for smaller outflow tracts for a long time, but these are intended for much larger flows.
The valve would be placed inside a fabric-encased stent, which is subsequently attached to the upper section of the catheter.
The plastic funnel assists in inserting the valve into the tube.
Dr. Evans guided us through the procedure.
This is causing the stent that keeps the valve in place to collapse into the tube that will then be inserted into the patient," she explained. "This small capsule holds the stent and the valve. The nose cone assists in guiding it upward, and the valve is located inside this tiny capsule.
In the past, children and their families had to go to the Bay Area or Los Angeles to receive this kind of treatment.
Now, thanks to this innovation, it brings care closer to home and enables doctors in Central California to save more lives.
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