Newswise — NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. - Physicians at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (RWJ) and UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School (RWJMS) are among the first in the nation to offer a groundbreaking aortic valve replacement technique that provides new treatment options and hope for patients diagnosed with severe aortic valve disease who are suffering from end-stage heart disease.

The Cardiovascular Center of Excellence at RWJ was recently selected by Edwards Lifesciences to be one of the first sites in the nation to offer Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) since the procedure received FDA approval. It is the latest in cardiac treatment breakthroughs being offered by RWJ.

TAVR allows a multidisciplinary team of cardiac surgeons, vascular surgeons, interventional cardiologists and cardiac anesthesiologists at RWJUH and RWJMS to replace a patient’s diseased aortic valve without using traditional open-heart surgery and while the heart continues to beat, avoiding the need for cardiopulmonary bypass.

In performing the TAVR procedure, the valve is pinched to fit onto a catheter-based transfemoral delivery system, which is inserted into the body through a small cut in the patient’s groin area. Once delivered to the site of the patient's diseased valve, the replacement valve is expanded with a balloon and immediately functions in place of the patient's existing valve. Major surgical incisions are not required, which creates less stress on medically compromised patients and can lead to faster recovery times.

“This innovative technique provides a new option for patients who have been diagnosed with severe aortic stenosis and need valve replacement, but may be too high risk for open heart surgery,” explains Mark B. Anderson, Professor and Chief of the Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery at UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital. “TAVR can contribute to an enhanced quality of life for these patients, many of whom have no other options.”

RWJ and RWJMS anticipate making TAVR available to patients in early 2012.

For information about TAVR, please visit rwjuh.edu/TAVR or call 1-855-RWJ-TAVR.
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About Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital
Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (RWJUH) is a 600-bed academic medical center and the principal hospital of UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in New Brunswick, NJ. Robert Wood Johnson is an innovative leader in advancing state-of-the-art care. RWJUH is the first hospital in the nation to implant the AbioCor self-contained artificial heart since the device received FDA approval in 2006. RWJUH is one of only three sites in the nation approved to offer this groundbreaking technology. Its Centers of Excellence include cardiovascular care from minimally invasive heart surgery to transplantation, cancer care, and women’s and children’s care including The Bristol-Myers Squibb Children’s Hospital at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (www.bmsch.org). The hospital is also a Level 1 Trauma Center and serves as a national resource in its ground-breaking approaches to emergency preparedness. The hospital has earned significant national recognition for clinical quality and patient safety. RWJUH ranks among the best hospitals in America, according to U.S.News & World Report’s 2011 ranking of “America’s Best Hospitals.” It is the fifth consecutive year that RWJUH has achieved this prestigious ranking. The American College of Surgeons’ Commission on Cancer has rated RWJUH among the nation's best comprehensive cancer centers. The Leapfrog Group rated RWJUH as one of the 50 exceptional U.S. hospitals, as published in Consumers Digest magazine. Harvard University researchers, in a study commissioned by The Commonwealth Fund, identified RWJUH as one of the top 10 hospitals in the nation for clinical quality. RWJUH is also a four-time recipient of the prestigious Magnet Award for Nursing Excellence. Visit us online at http://www.rwjuh.edu.

About Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
As one of the nation’s leading comprehensive medical schools, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey is dedicated to the pursuit of excellence in education, research, health care delivery, and the promotion of community health. In cooperation with Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, the medical school’s principal affiliate, they comprise one of the nation’s premier academic medical centers. In addition, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School has 34 hospital affiliates and ambulatory care sites throughout the region, and as one of the eight schools of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey with 2,500 full-time and volunteer faculty, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School encompasses 22 basic science and clinical departments. The medical school maintains educational programs at the undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate levels for more than 1,500 students on its campuses in New Brunswick, Piscataway, and Camden, and provides continuing education courses for health care professionals and community education programs.

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Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital and UMDNJ-RWJMS Among The First Nationally to Offer Groundbreaking Aortic ...