New Providence Structural Heart Clinic provides minimally invasive alternatives to open heart surgery

The Providence Structural Heart Clinic is now officially open in Columbia, SC, to specialize in minimally invasive alternatives to open heart surgery. Minimally-invasive procedures involve entering the patient’s heart through an artery in the leg or arm instead of opening the chest to correct life-threatening or quality of life-reducing heart conditions. Because of the smaller entry point and reduced overall disruption to the body, these procedures have significantly shorter hospital stays and significantly faster and more comfortable recovery times.

Open heart surgery generally requires three to five days in the hospital, and full-recovery isn’t expected for several months.  For many in need of treatment, the risk of an open heart procedure and its intense recovery are simply too great. In fact, a significant portion of the population is ineligible for open heart surgery due to existing chronic illness, advanced age, or weakness.

“This quickly growing field of medicine offers a wide range of solutions for patients who previously had no options,” says Dr. Garrison Morgan. “No longer relegated to watchful waiting, these patients can now return to a meaningful life.”

Procedures provided by the Providence Structural Heart Clinic include:

• Trans-catheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) for severe aortic stenosis
• MitraClip® Mitral Valve Repair for mitral regurgitation (a leaky mitral valve)
• WATCHMAN™ Device to reduce stroke risk in Atrial Fibrillation patients unable to take blood-thinners
• Atrial Septal Defect (ASD) / Patent Foramen Ovale (PFO) Closures for holes in the heart tissue

These procedures return the patient to their home the next day, with full to near-to-full recovery within a week, and they are covered by most insurance programs.

All of these procedures were also first introduced to the Midlands by Providence Health.

Patients in need of treatment are referred to the Clinic by their cardiologist or primary care physician. “Unfortunately, less than half of all patients that meet the criteria for structural heart intervention ever get an evaluation for treatment,” says Dr. Morgan. “Talk to your doctor if you are concerned about the structural integrity of your heart. You may be a candidate for feeling better with little risk and life disruption.”