Structural heart
Structural Heart in Citrus County, Florida
At HCA Florida Citrus Hospital’s valve clinic, we provide you with the most advanced medical care available in the diagnosis and treatment of heart disease.
Our experienced cardiothoracic surgeons are able to effectively treat your diseased heart valves through surgical intervention. These valves may either be repaired or replaced, depending on the extent of your disease. With our innovative approaches and advanced technologies, we help you get back on your feet.
Related specialties
Learn more about our related specialties.
Structural heart conditions we treat
Our hospital's structural heart program is part of our complete cardiovascular care program. Here, we offer excellent treatment options for people who have structural heart diseases and conditions, such as:
- Aortic stenosis
- Aortic regurgitation
- Atrial fibrillation (AFib)
- Atrial septal defect (ASD)
- Failing bioprosthetic valve in aortic or mitral position due to stenosis or regurgitation
- Heart vessel (coronary artery) blockage
- Intolerance to blood-thinning medications for AFib
- Mitral regurgitation
- Mitral stenosis
- Paravalvular leakage (PVL)
- Patent foramen ovale (PFO)
- Previous heart valve surgery with prosthetic valve failure
Structural heart disease treatments we offer
Our hospital is leading the way in advanced cardiovascular procedures to treat a range of conditions. Some of those procedures include:
- Balloon aortic valvuloplasty (BAV)
- Balloon mitral valvuloplasty
- Revisional surgery for valve replacement
- Surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR)
- Surgical ASD and PFO closure
- Surgical closure of left atrial appendage
- Surgical mitral valve repair or replacement (MVR)
- Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR)
- Transcatheter ASD and PFO closure
- Transcatheter closure of left atrial appendage
- Transcatheter mitral valve repair (TMVR)
- Transcatheter valve-in-valve therapy
Heart valve surgery
Based on your diagnostic testing, individual evaluation and disease, our structural heart team may recommend surgical valve treatment.
In certain situations, the surgeon can restore the valve to normal function by remodeling the tissue, removing stretched tissue or sewing the tissue edges. In some cases, prosthetic or artificial rings may be used to reinforce the integrity of the valve.
Seriously degenerated or diseased heart valves typically cannot be repaired. In these cases, the old valve is removed and replaced with a new valve mechanism. The new valve is attached by sewing it to a rim of tissue kept from the original valve. There are different types of valve mechanisms in two categories: tissue valves and mechanical valves.
ASD/PFO closure surgery
In the past, there was no catheter-based method of closing ASDs and PFOs. That meant problematic ASDs and PFOs required open-heart surgery. Today, however, we are proud to offer a wide variety of catheter-based occlusion devices to safely close these holes.
Left atrial appendage closure (LAAC)
LAAC is an alternative to long-term blood thinner medication therapy for stroke risk reduction for people who have non-valvular AFib. In this catheter-based procedure, a surgeon uses imaging technology to place the LAAC device.
Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) surgery
Aortic stenosis occurs when the aorta, the main artery pumping blood from the heart, narrows or stops opening fully. In its early stages, you may experience a decrease in blood flow, chest pain, weakness or fainting.
Left untreated, aortic stenosis can lead to further complications and even death. We perform a range of procedures to treat aortic stenosis, including TAVR.
How TAVR is performedTAVR is a procedure performed by a specially trained TAVR surgeon. They replace a diseased aortic heart valve without having to use open heart surgery. This alternative to surgery involves a balloon-expandable heart valve, which is placed into the heart through a catheter (thin flexible tube). Our TAVR operating room is equipped with advanced technology, which allows our TAVR team great precision.
Transcatheter mitral valve repair (TMVR) surgery
TMVR is a leading-edge alternative to open heart valve surgery. It is often recommended to patients with mitral regurgitation who are considered to be too high risk for conventional valve repair or replacement surgery. TMVR is a minimally invasive, catheter-based procedure often used to treat patients who have previously undergone mitral valve replacement surgery.
Cardiac rehabilitation (rehab)
We offer a cardiac rehab program to promote a full and speedy recovery following heart surgery or a heart event. Cardiac rehab involves education and a range of therapies tailored to your specific needs and conditions. It is used to increase stamina and improve heart health.
Our heart specialists
Our specialists are experts in everything from advanced heart failure to heart arrhythmias. This team includes specialists from the following medical disciplines:
- Cardiac anesthesia
- Cardiac electrophysiology
- Cardiovascular and thoracic surgery
- Cardiovascular imaging
- Interventional cardiology