Valve Clinic

Complex Heart Disease Treatment

The Independence Health System Valve Clinic evaluates patients with more complex valvular heart disease, such as aortic stenosis (narrowing) or mitral/tricuspid regurgitation.

Using advanced state-of-the-art imaging, including 3D echocardiography, patients are reviewed by a multi-disciplinary panel led by a team of expert cardiologists and cardiothoracic surgeons, creating a patient-centered experience.

Eligible Patients

The IHS Valve Clinic is currently open to patients with advanced heart disease. Your doctor can help evaluate whether you are a good candidate for treatment. If they believe you require the advanced treatment our clinic provides, they can fill out a Valve Clinic form and fax it to our Valve Clinic Coordinator.

The IHS Valve Clinic team works closely with referring physicians in decision-making and treatment plans to ensure optimum care and a smooth transition for patients as they return to the care of their own physicians. Have you or someone you care for been told they need a new heart valve? If so, click here to learn more.

Treatment Options

Our superior 3-D echocardiography equipment provides us with precise diagnostic information on heart and valve health. A team of experts reviews the results and collectively decides on the best treatment option for the patient. This team consists of cardiac surgeons, interventional cardiologists, cardiac imaging specialists, and advanced cardiac nurses specializing in structural heart and valvular disease.

Treatment options include:

• Valve Replacement or Repair: Sometimes valves become so damaged that they require open heart surgery for repair or replacement with a synthetic device. Options for replacement devices include mechanical valves, tissue valves, or taking an existing healthy valve and moving it to replace the damaged one in what is known as the “Ross Procedure.”
• Balloon Aortic Valvuloplasty: This procedure enlarges a narrowed heart valve. Using a catheter, a balloon is inserted into the valve and inflates, opening up the damaged valve.
• Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR): This operation is preferred by patients who desire minimally invasive surgery. Rather than replacing a damaged valve, a replacement is inserted into its place. The damaged valve will be pushed out of the way as the replacement takes over. Click here to learn more about TAVR.

Patients with advanced valvular disease may be candidates for treatment at the IHS Valve Clinic. For more information in the Butler or Clarion Areas, call 724-284-4026. For the Westmoreland Area, call 877-771-1234.