Services

Structural Heart Program

If you or a loved one has been recently diagnosed with or already knows they have a structural heart defect, see the specialty team at Augusta University Health for complete care.

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Structural heart disease is when problems with the anatomy of the heart affects how the heart functions. Anatomy include valves or septum (wall of the heart). Many of these problems are congenital, meaning you are born with them, but they can also develop later in life.

Structural Heart

Our Approach

The Structural Heart Program is run by a collaborative team of interventional cardiologists, advanced imaging cardiologists, and cardiothoracic (CT) surgeons who specialize in the treatment and care of conditions involving valves and other structures within the heart. We offer:

Expertise: Our board-certified cardiologists and CT surgeons are trained to repair structural heart defects that are acquired or congenital.
Minimally invasive surgery (MIS): Augusta University Medical Center is able to offer minimally invasive surgery to repair many kinds of structural heart defects, eliminating the need for open heart surgery. Procedures include TAVR, MitraClip, and atrial/ventricular septal defect repair.

Conditions We Treat

We treat conditions involving the valves and other structures within the heart, including:

Aortic and mitral valve stenosis
Atrial/ventricular septal defects
Congenital heart defects

MIS Repair Procedures

Transcatheter aortic valve repair (TAVR) or mitral valve repair (MitraClip)

AUMC offers minimally invasive procedures for patients with aortic and mitral valve stenosis. Occasionally patients may be told that they are not candidates for open heart surgery. These procedures may be their only option for treatment. During this procedure, a valve is repaired by implanting valve through a catheter that is inserted from the groin. Most patients are discharged the day after the procedure.

Left atrial appendage closure (Watchman Device)

Closure of the left atrial appendage is preformed to reduce the risk of stroke for patients who have atrial fibrillation. Occasional patients who have atrial fibrillation are prescribed blood thinners such as Warfarin. Warfarin is a blood thinner that can lead to serious problems with bleeding. In order to reduce the risk of stroke and serious bleeding conditions, a Watchman device can be inserted into the left atrial appendage to reduce the risk of stroke and eliminate the need for continued Warfarin use.

Atrial/ventricular septal defect repair

A hole in the septal wall of the heart between the top two chambers of the heart (atrial) or the bottom two chambers of the heart (ventricles) may occur because of a congenital defect or as a result of a complication following a heart attack. These holes can be repaired surgically or percutaneously with a catheter inserted into the groin.