Doctors Medical Center Now Offering Breakthrough Treatment for Patients with Leaky Heart Valve

Modesto, Calif. – The cardiology team at Doctors Medical Center has completed its first Transcatheter Mitral Valve Repair (TMVR) cases, becoming the first hospital between Sacramento and Fresno to perform this procedure.

For people who cannot undergo surgery, TMVR provides a minimally invasive option for treating the most common form of mitral valve leakage. TMVR can improve quality of life without open-heart surgery in high-risk patients.

Joseph Rhodes of Modesto was the first TMVR patient at Doctors Medical Center in October 2018. He was discharged the day after his procedure and was already noticing improvements to his health.

“A leak in the mitral valve occurs when the flaps, or doors, do not close completely, allowing blood to flow back into the heart as it pumps,” explained Dr. Talwinderdeep Kahlon, Interventional Cardiologist at Doctors Medical Center. “The heart has to work harder, as a result, to keep blood flowing and can raise the risk for heart failure and death. More importantly, it significantly impacts patients’ quality of life.”

When a mitral valve leakage becomes severe, it can profoundly affect a person’s quality of life by causing shortness of breath, extreme fatigue and other debilitating symptoms. TMVR offers a safe and effective treatment option.

Here is how TMVR works:

• Using imaging equipment, physicians guide a small MitraClip into place using a thin tube (or catheter) through a small incision in the leg. The clip is small, made of metal, and covered with a polyester fabric to promote healing.
• The clip is then attached to the flaps of the mitral valve to help it close more completely and restore normal blood flow.
• Patients tend to have a short hospital stay and experience improved heart function and symptoms almost immediately.

“By offering this procedure right here in the Central Valley means heart patients no longer have to travel to surrounding areas for treatment,” Dr. Kahlon said. “This not only positively impacts the patient, but their support system as well.”

The cardiac program at Doctors Medical Center also offers:

• Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR)
• Patent Foramen Ovale (PFO) Closure
• Cryoablation
• Leadless Pacemaker
• Subcutaneous Implantable Defibrillator
• Impella

Doctors Medical Center has five fully operational catheterization labs, plus a brand new hybrid operating suite.