Abrazo Arizona Heart Hospital is the first in Arizona to offer the Evolut FX+ transcatheter aortic valve replacement system, a minimally invasive alternative to open-heart surgical aortic valve replacement.

The Evolut FX+ further refines the Evolut TAVR platform, designed to facilitate coronary access, for the treatment of symptomatic severe aortic stenosis, a press release explained. TAVR can be an effective option to improve quality of life in patients who otherwise have limited choices for repair of their aortic valve.

The first procedure in Arizona was performed by the heart team led by Dr. Timothy Byrne, a structural interventional cardiologist at Abrazo Arizona Heart Hospital. TAVR procedures enable the medical team to implant a replacement valve through a small incision, eliminating the need to surgically open a patient’s chest, the release stated.

The newest iteration of the Evolut TAVR system offers larger coronary access windows through a modified diamond-shaped frame design, which is four times larger than previous iterations of the Evolut TAVR system, according to the release. 

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently approved the system, providing physicians at Abrazo Arizona Heart Hospital with another option to treat the growing patient population affected by symptomatic severe aortic stenosis.

"It is encouraging to see how the Evolut FX TAVR platform has evolved considerably over time and brought our heart teams another treatment option. With this FDA approval of the Evolut FX+ TAVR system, the system is now designed to facilitate coronary access while maintaining the performance and durability of the platform," Dr. Byrne stated in the release. 

For information about Abrazo Arizona Heart Hospital or to find a doctor, visit AbrazoHealth.com.