Structural Heart Program

TAVR/TAVI has become an accepted technique to treat aortic valve disease in Australia. Historically, aortic valve disease has been managed with open heart surgery to implant a new valve. TAVR/TAVI is a less invasive procedure where a new valve is taken up to the heart through a tube in the leg artery or the artery under the collarbone or the neck. Careful assessment by our multidisciplinary team of specialists is undertaken to provide the most appropriate treatment option.

The MitraClip is a device used to treat mitral valve regurgitation and may be offered as an alternative to open heart mitral valve surgery. This less invasive procedure involves taking a repairing device to the heart via a tube in the femoral leg vein. Careful assessment by our multidisciplinary team is undertaken to provide the most appropriate treatment option.

TASH is a method of treating thickened heart muscle that causes an obstruction of blood flow from the heart, seen in diseases such as hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM). It involves a controlled procedure using a specially prescribed strength of alcohol injection to the heart muscle to reduce this thickened, obstructive heart tissue.

These minimally invasive procedures are treatment options to repair or close abnormal openings within the heart structure. A repair device is guided through the femoral vein to the heart before being released under specialist imaging to close the opening. It may be an alternative to open heart surgery after careful consultation and assessment with your cardiologist and other treating specialists, such as a neurologist.

Paravalvular leak (PVL) may sometimes occur after heart valve surgery or a percutaneous procedure. PVL closure involves a plug-like device contained in a small flexible catheter being guided via the femoral vein to the heart and deployed, essentially closing the leak. It is an option a cardiologist may consider only if the leak is considered clinically significant.

The left atrial appendage is a small pouch found attached to the top left chamber of the heart. It may become a ‘reservoir’ for blood clots in people with atrial fibrillation. LAAO may be an option in some cases where severe bleeding becomes a risk due to blood thinning medication. It involves guiding an occluder device via the femoral vein to the heart and the placement of an occlusion device, essentially blocking off the left atrial appendage.

A procedure undertaken via the femoral artery using a balloon tip catheter guided to a narrowed valve in the heart. The balloon at the end of the catheter is inflated under X-ray imaging once in position. This will open and widen these valve leaflets, with the balloon and catheter removed at the end of the procedure. However, it is not a long-term solution to a narrowed diseased heart valve.