Inova's Structural Heart/Valve Disease Program focuses on improving survival and quality of life for people with disease affecting the heart's internal structures – meaning the valves or walls separating the heart chambers. The goal the program is to find the best possible treatment for each patient – whether through surgery or using a minimally invasive procedure.
Our comprehensive approach includes review of each patient’s history, imaging, risk factors by an integrated team including interventional cardiologists, cardiac surgeons and a cardiac imaging specialist to determine the most optimal approach for your condition.
We offer minimally invasive therapies that have revolutionized how we care for patients who previously required open heart surgery. These catheter-based procedures offer better outcomes, shorter length of stay and a more rapid recovery. For those requiring a traditional surgical approach, we have a highly experienced cardiac surgery team.
Inova is a national leader in minimally invasive repair techniques, including transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) procedures. Our comprehensive approach identifies the best treatment for each patient.
We offer:
Call 571-472-4669 or complete our form to arrange consultation with one of our Structural Heart/Valve Disease Program physicians. Procedures are performed at Inova Schar Heart and Vascular's Fairfax Medical Campus, 3300 Gallows Road, Falls Church, VA 22042.
We specialize in minimally invasive heart valve repair and replacement and stroke risk reduction for atrial fibrillation.
TAVR revolutionized aortic stenosis treatment, offering a minimally invasive alternative to traditional open aortic valve replacement surgery. The transcatheter approach allows for early mobility, a much shorter length of stay and rapid recovery. Inova offers options for customizable heart valves including, the Evolut ™ PRO valve and Sapien 3 valve.
TAVR treatment options are available across all risk profiles, including patients with asymptomatic aortic stenosis.
Mitral valve regurgitation (MR) is a prevalent and often progressive disease affecting more than 4 million Americans. Due to the mitral valve's complex anatomic structure, only a small minority of patients with severe MR have undergone surgical valve repair or replacement. Technical advances now offer patients newer, less invasive options, including MitraClip® and Intrepid™ Transcatheter Mitral Valve Replacement (TMVR). Inova Schar Heart and Vascular’s surgeons and interventional cardiologists, who are among the most experienced in the region, evaluate potential candidates for these procedures.
Patients typically visit the valve clinic once or twice before their scheduled procedure to meet the valve team, including the interventional cardiologist and heart surgeon. They also complete cardiac imaging studies (TEE +/- cardiac CT) during their visits.
Post-procedure, patients return to the valve clinic once or twice for follow up, then return to their primary care provider or local cardiologist for ongoing care.
MitraClip®
The MitraClip® procedure is indicated for patients who are not candidates for surgical mitral valve replacement due to prohibitive risk. The device is placed using a minimally invasive catheter-based approach and real-time imaging. Patients generally are discharged home within three days.
At Inova, we were among the first five teams in the United States selected to use the Medtronic Harmony™ Transcatheter Pulmonary Valve (TPV) System as part of the relaunch in early 2023. This device is FDA-approved and designed specifically for severe pulmonary regurgitation.
The Harmony TPV uses a tiny wire frame, rather than a balloon. The structure is designed especially for pulmonary regurgitation and fits larger RVOTs. Our team at Inova has successfully implanted the Harmony TPV in three people with severe pulmonary regurgitation. They ranged in age from 16 to 60.
A cardiologist who is familiar with the TPV procedure can determine whether the Harmony TPV could treat your pulmonary regurgitation. To make that determination, we usually perform an MRI to check the function of your current pulmonary valve and the size of your right ventricle. If pulmonary valve replacement is indicated, we will order a CT scan to take measurements of your heart.
We send those measurements to Medtronic. They analyze the data and let us know if the Harmony TPV could work for you. With this process, we can be confident that the device is a good fit without using more invasive tests.
Tricuspid regurgitation (TR), caused by a leaky tricuspid valve, affects millions of Americans—about one in 30 people over age 65. TR is difficult to treat and, if left untreated, can severely impact quality of life and lead to heart failure or death. While medications may help manage symptoms, the traditional definitive treatment has been open-heart surgery, which is often too risky for older patients with other health conditions.
Inova’s expert structural heart team offers two possible transcatheter therapies for this condition, depending on the severity of the damaged valve:
TriClip™ tricuspid valve device, a less invasive treatment delivered through the femoral vein in the leg. The device clips the valve leaflets together to reduce backward blood flow, improve heart function, and relieve symptoms—without the need for open-heart surgery. As a top enroller in the pivotal clinical trial, Inova’s structural heart team helped generate the data supporting FDA approval, making Inova one of the most experienced centers in the U.S. to offer this therapy.
Learn more about the TriClip procedure
Transcatheter tricuspid valve replacement (TTVR): Inova offers the EVOQUE tricuspid valve replacement system device for patients whose severe, symptomatic tricuspid regurgitation may not be well treated using the TriClip procedure.
It is a minimally invasive procedure that replaces a damaged tricuspid valve, which helps keep blood flowing in the correct direction through the heart.
Using a thin tube called a catheter, doctors deliver a new valve through a blood vessel to the heart - without the need for open heart surgery. The valve expands into place and immediately begins working.
Because TTVR is less invasive, it is generally safer and easier to recover from than traditional open-heart surgery. It is typically recommended for people with severe tricuspid valve disease who are not good candidates for open heart surgery, including those who are older, have other serious health conditions, or have had previous heart surgery.
The WATCHMAN FLX™ left atrial appendage closure procedure offers stroke risk reduction in nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (AFib) patients who are not candidates for chronic anticoagulation medications (i.e., blood thinners) due to noncompliance, occupational restrictions, long-term bleeding or a strong preference not to take anticoagulants. Patients can be discharged home after placement of the device, which occurs in Inova's interventional lab, followed by an overnight stay. Most patients can permanently discontinue anticoagulation medications after 45 days.
Learn more about WATCHMAN FLX™ and meet the doctors who perform this procedure
We treat atrial septal defects (ASDs) and patent foramen ovales (PFOs), which are holes in the septum (wall of tissue) between the left and right upper chambers of the heart with very different causes.
Atrial Septal Defect (ASD) Catheter Repair
Inova cardiologists and cardiac surgeons offer specialized expertise in various techniques to resolve ASD, including minimally invasive catheter repair. They insert a small disk-like device into the groin by threading it through a catheter (thin, flexible tube). The device then expands across the atrial septal defect to permanently close the opening.
Patent Foramen Ovale (PFO) Catheter Repair
PFO catheter repair closes the patent foramen ovale (flap in the atrial septum wall). Our structural heart cardiologists insert a catheter with a closure device through the leg vein, up to the heart, where it is left to close up the flap. Clinical trials have shown that patients who have had a cryptogenic stroke and have a patent foramen ovale (PFO) can benefit from PFO closure.
When artificial valves replace damaged heart valves, they can sometimes develop a leak (regurgitation or blood backing up into the pumping heart chamber). The most common cause of paravalvular leaks is an infection, but other factors such as the amount of calcium around the valve can also cause leaks. While small leaks may cause no symptoms, larger leaks can cause congestive heart failure, hemolysis, and a higher risk for future infections.
Inova’s specially trained interventional cardiologists perform transcatheter (minimally invasive/nonsurgical) PLV repair by inserting a catheter into a blood vessel in the groin area, advancing it through the blood vessels to the site of the leaking heart valve, and implementing one or more specialized closure devices to plug the leak.
Symptoms of Paravalvular Leak (PVL)/Valve Regurgitation
PVL symptoms may include shortness of breath, fatigue, a heart murmur, rapid or fluttering heartbeat, or swelling in the feet or ankles. Even if no symptoms are present, repair may prevent PLV from getting worse or relieve the workload on your heart.
