MIAMI, FL - June 25, 2021 - Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute at Baptist Hospital and South Miami Hospital has received Transcatheter Valve Certification from the American College of Cardiology (ACC). The honor recognizes the expertise of the program in offering an innovative alternative to open-heart surgery for some patients who require heart valve repair or replacement.
Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is a minimally invasive procedure performed via a small catheter that is inserted through a blood vessel in the groin or through a small incision under the collarbone or between the ribs. It is used to treat aortic stenosis, a disease that restricts the movement of the aortic valve and causes chest pain, fatigue, shortness of breath and other life-limiting problems. Severe aortic stenosis can also lead to heart failure and sudden cardiac arrest.
“Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute has always been at the forefront of breakthroughs in cardiovascular care,” said Barry Katzen, M.D., founder and chief medical executive of the Institute. “This certification validates the excellence of our program, awarding us for meeting or exceeding clinical standards, patient outcomes, quality of care and other guidelines.”
The Institute leads numerous cardiovascular clinical trials – many of which focus on less invasive approaches – and was the first in South Florida to perform TAVR outside of a research trial. TAVR was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2012 as a safer option for patients at high risk for open-heart surgery. In 2019, they expanded the approval to include patients considered at low risk for complications or death with open-heart surgery. The Institute also offers the new BASILICA treatment, which is done immediately before TAVR for a subset of patients identified as at risk for developing a coronary artery obstruction during TAVR.
“Certification recognizes our experience, multidisciplinary team approach, extensive training and excellent results,” said Ramon Quesada, M.D., medical director of Structural Heart and Complex Percutaneous Coronary Intervention at the Institute. “With new devices and technologies, we are able to offer minimally invasive procedures to more patients. Our community can be confident that we are a top center in the nation for these procedures.”
The ACC evaluation includes quality of care, clinical outcomes and patient experience, performance improvement initiatives, participation and review of data from national registries, staff credentialing and education, infection control processes and equipment safety.