Little Rock, Ark.-based CHI St. Vincent Heart Institute performed the first transcaval transcatheter aortic valve replacement heart procedure in the state, The Pine Bluff Commercial reported Nov. 11.
The surgery is an alternative to open-heart surgery for patients with aortic valve stenosis.
Interventional cardiologist Aravind Rao, MD, and cardiovascular surgeon Thomas Rayburn, MD, performed the procedure, which is believed to be the first in the state.
"This marks an incredible step forward for Arkansans seeking the very best in heart care," said Marcia Atkinson, CHI St. Vincent Heart Institute president. "Procedures like the transcaval TAVR are less invasive than open-heart surgery and offer dramatically reduced recovery times for patients."