Your Heart’s in the Right Place

WHEN IT COMES TO MATTERS OF HEART HEALTH, your heart’s in the right place at St. Francis Medical Center. Our cardiovascular experts are committed to preventing heart disease and bringing you the latest and most effective treatments. Our highly skilled team provides patient-focused, collaborative care with each patient receiving a customized care plan for their unique health needs.

St. Francis is the region’s leader in cardiovascular care and offers:

• An Accredited Chest Pain Center with Primary PCI by the American College of Cardiology (ACC).

• The region’s most advanced hybrid operating room (OR) with innovative technology and imaging capabilities, which contribute to better patient outcomes and quality of care.

• The left atrial appendage closure procedure for patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation. St. Francis is the first and only provider in Northeast Louisiana offering this procedure.

• Percutaneous (through the skin) valve replacements or repairs such as the transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) and transcatheter mitral valve repair (TMVr).

• Six cardiac catheterization labs for patients who need coronary interventions.

• Various endovascular procedures (using a catheter inserted through the skin to diagnose and treat vascular disease) and hybrid (part open and part endovascular) intervention to treat complex vascular problems.

• Traditional open-heart surgery.

The aorta is a major blood vessel within the heart that delivers blood to the rest of the body. Aortic stenosis is a narrowing of the aortic valve opening which prevents normal blood flow from the left ventricle to the aorta causing the leaflets to not open and close properly. This restriction of the aortic valve makes your heart work harder to get blood pumped to the rest of your body.

There are several types of surgical procedures that can be used to treat severe aortic stenosis which involves replacement of the damaged aortic valve.

• Open heart surgery. The damaged valve is surgically removed, and the new valve is inserted through a chest incision. The patient is on a heartlung bypass machine during the procedure. Some patients are at high risk due to illness or other conditions and may not be a good candidate for open heart surgery.

• Minimally invasive open heart surgery. It is like open heart surgery, but a smaller incision in the chest is needed. The surgeon uses a tiny camera and small tools to replace the aortic valve. For those who cannot have open heart surgery, this is an option for treatment.

• Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR). This is an alternative treatment option for those patients who are at high risk for open heart surgery and qualify for the procedure. While the heart is still beating, TAVR allows a new valve to be placed inside the diseased aortic valve via a thin, flexible tube, or catheter. The new valve replaces the diseased valve and blood flow is increased throughout the body. The patient does not have to be on a heart-lung bypass machine during TAVR.

TMVr is used to treat mitral regurgitation, also known as “leaky valve.” The mitral valve is located between the upper and lower chambers on the left side of the heart. When the mitral valve can’t close properly, blood leaks backward into the upper chamber. To help keep blood moving in the correct direction, the bottom chamber works harder than intended, which can lead to heart failure.

One treatment option for “leaky valve” includes a transcatheter mitral valve repair. This minimally invasive procedure involves the placement of a small clip on the mitral valve leaflets to reduce the regurgitation. This is an option for higher risk patients such as those of older age, with comorbid medical conditions or advanced heart failure.

Atrial fibrillation, or irregular heartbeat, increases your risk of having a stroke. The reason for that is because AFib causes your heart to beat irregularly, which affects its ability to pump blood normally. And when the heart does not pump as it should, blood can collect and form clots. If a clot escapes, it can cut off the blood supply to the brain—causing a stroke.

Many patients with AFib not caused by a heart valve problem may be prescribed blood thinners to help prevent blood clots. Long-term use of blood thinners like warfarin can increase the risk of excessive bleeding because they reduce the ability of blood to clot.

More than 90% of stroke-causing clots that come from the heart are formed in the left atrial appendage (LAA) for those diagnosed with AFib not caused by a heart valve problem. That is why closing off this part of the heart is an effective way to reduce stroke risk.

The device fits right into your LAA. It is designed to permanently close it off and keep any blood clots from escaping. The device is about the size of a quarter and made from very light and compact materials commonly used in many other medical implants.