Collaboration Results in World's First Implant of New Heart Valve
| David Ott, MD |
|
HOUSTON (March 8, 2005) David Ott, MD, a cardiovascular surgeon at the Texas Heart Institute at St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital, recently was the first in the world to implant a new porcine heart valve during an aortic valve replacement. The distinction came about, in many ways, by design.
"Being the first in the world to implant a new valve is not a major event but it is an excellent example of how doctors working with companies can make incremental improvements in the products we use to treat heart patients," said Dr. Ott. "I was working with a valve and made some suggestions to the company on how they could improve it. My suggestions were well received."
The manufacturer, Medtronic, incorporated Dr. Ott's suggestions for the Mosaic heart valve into a new product design called the Mosaic Ultra, which has already received FDA approval.
"Dr. Ott's suggestions significantly improved the design of this device. The cuff used to attach the valve has been significantly reduced, making it easier to implant. Additionally, the change allows patients to potentially receive a larger valve which results in better hemodynamics and improved
| The Medtronic Mosaic Ultra heart valve. |
|
pressure gradient relief," said Russ Rosser, a Medtronic representative. "The Mosaic Ultra is especially helpful to the surgeon for implanting in a narrow aortic root, which is often seen in elderly patients. This is in addition to our existing offering of bioprosthetic valves."
Every year, surgeons perform about 225,000 heart valve operations worldwide. Nearly all of these operations are done to repair or replace the mitral or aortic valves. These valves are on the left side of the heart, which is the harder working of the two sides. They control the flow of oxygen-rich blood from the lungs to the rest of the body.
###
World-renowned cardiovascular surgeon Denton A. Cooley, MD, founded the Texas Heart Institute in 1962 for the study and treatment of diseases of the heart and blood vessels. Together with the Institute's clinical partner, St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital, for the past 14 years it has been ranked among the nation's top ten heart centers in an annual survey published by U.S. News & World Report. For more information about the Institute, please visit www.texasheartinstitute.org.
St. Luke's was founded in 1954 by the Episcopal Diocese of Texas. St. Luke's is home to the world-renowned Texas Heart Institute, founded in 1962. In 2001, St. Luke's earned the Magnet designation, the highest honor in patient care. It is the first hospital in Texas and the Southwest to be so honored. For more information about the hospital, please visit www.stlukestexas.com
