Highly skilled experts
Our surgeons have extensive experience and expertise in the latest heart valve disease treatments. These include transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), MitraClip and other minimally invasive procedures.
Heart Valve Disease Care
We treat the heart of the matter
Our approach to heart valve disease care
Our expert team is dedicated to providing comprehensive care for all types of heart valve disease. From diagnosis to treatment to recovery, we're committed to your health and well-being through every step of your care.
Our approach is focused on you, taking into account your medical history, lifestyle and personal goals. With our support and guidance, you can be confident that we have your heart valve condition well in hand.
Conditions we treat
- aortic stenosis
- atrial fibrillation
- mitral regurgitation
- mitral stenosis
- atrial and ventricular septal defect (ASD and VSD)
- failing (degenerated) surgical valves
- hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM)
- paravalvular regurgitation
- heart valve disease due to congenital conditions, infections, degenerative conditions that cause valves to wear out over time, and conditions linked to other heart conditions
Tests and treatments
WellSpan offers all available valve therapies, including valve replacement and repair through surgery.
Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR)
Our heart specialists are experts in a minimally invasive therapy called transcatheter aortic valve replacement that replaces a diseased aortic valve. The procedure involves inserting a catheter (thin tube) in a groin artery and guiding it to the heart to complete the treatment.
Percutaneous (nonsurgical) mitral valve repair: MitraClip™
People with mitral regurgitation who aren’t ideal candidates for surgery can often have percutaneous mitral repair.
In this nonsurgical, catheter-based procedure, our heart specialists place a clip to hold the two leaflets of the mitral valve together at the place where the leak (regurgitation) occurs. The MitraClip helps the mitral valve close more completely, significantly reducing mitral regurgitation. Most people can expect to go home the next day.
WellSpan heart specialists have developed expertise in percutaneous mitral valve repair, having performed the procedure often since 2015.
Atrial septal defect (ASD) and ventricular septal defect (VSD) closure
People born with an opening between the top chambers (atrial septal defect, ASD) or the bottom chambers (ventricular septal defect, VSD) of the heart may develop symptoms such as shortness of breath, fatigue and congestive heart failure, if untreated.
At WellSpan, our heart specialists most commonly treat ASDs and VSDs with a nonsurgical procedure called ASD or VSD closure.
In this procedure, our doctors insert a catheter through a blood vessel in the leg to deliver a small, self-expanding patch. They place the patch across the opening to close it. Most people go home the day after the minimally invasive procedure.
Interventional cardiologists at WellSpan have been performing ASD and VSD closures since 2012.
Percutaneous transvenous mitral commissurotomy (PTMC) or mitral valvuloplasty
This nonsurgical procedure is a treatment option for many people with mitral stenosis.
PTMC or mitral valvuloplasty is a catheter-based procedure in which doctors insert a balloon through the catheter up to the heart and across the mitral valve. They inflate the balloon in the valve to widen the valve and effectively treat the mitral stenosis.
How we can help
Structural heart disease often requires a specialized, skilled treatment approach. The team at WellSpan Health is here to help you manage your unique heart condition and improve your quality of life.
Our cardiologists are well versed in the latest approaches to structural heart care, including minimally invasive techniques. We’re also proven experts in established procedures.
Our heart team works with every patient on an individual basis. First, we clearly define and understand your unique heart condition. From there, we work to understand your goals, needs and concerns.
Our team approach includes experts from multiple disciplines, including interventional cardiology, cardiothoracic surgery, cardiac imaging, heart failure and cardiac anesthesia. We review appropriate treatment options and make a joint decision together that’s right for you.
Meet our experts
Renowned heart valve disease specialists, advanced imaging–trained cardiologists and a dedicated team of professionals — all here for you.
Why choose WellSpan for heart valve disease care?
When choosing a team for your heart valve procedure, you want to feel confident that you're getting the best possible care. With our experienced surgeons and advanced technology, you can rest assured that you're in the best hands. We're here to provide you with the personalized attention and support you need throughout your care with us.
Industry-leading research
Our team was involved in many of the pivotal research trials that helped secure U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for the TAVR procedure. A decade later, we're still involved in multiple TAVR trials — staying at the forefront of this technology and other procedures.
International renown
We were collaborators on a new technique for TAVR that has become a best practice across the U.S., Canada and Europe. Now, our surgeons teach that technique to specialists around the world through in-person training and live video demonstrations.
CT-guided precision and accuracy
We pioneered the country's first 4D computed tomography (CT) angiography suite. This setup puts CT technology directly into the operating room and provides real-time image guidance during many of our procedures. In fact, we were the first in the country to use this approach to implant a WATCHMAN™ device.