Manatee Memorial Offers Minimally Invasive Procedure for Valve Replacement

Tuesday, January 3, 2017
Minimally Invasive surgery for Valve Replacement

Brandenton, FL — Manatee Memorial Hospital recently became the first facility on the West Coast of Florida to offer patients suffering from aortic valve disease a new device for surgical aortic valve replacement.

The surgical team, led by Alessandro Golino, MD, cardiothoracic surgeon and program director of the Valve Institute, implanted the Edwards Intuity Elite valve in an 80-year-old male patient at the Manatee Heart and Vascular Center at Manatee Memorial Hospital. The surgery went well.

The Edwards Intuity Elite valve system enables surgeons to streamline complex procedures, which can be beneficial for patients undergoing more complex surgeries. The minimally invasive device is faster to place, which means less trauma, quicker recovery and decreased need for blood transfusions for many patients. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the device in August 2016.

“The striking advantage of this, beside the quicker time of surgery, is that the valve allows much more blood through because the stitches used with a conventional valve restrict the flow of blood. Many patients will feel much better and recover faster,” said Alessandro Golino, MD.

Kevin DiLallo, CEO of Manatee Healthcare System stated, “Manatee Memorial is proud to be the first hospital on the West Coast of Florida to offer this less invasive surgical option for patients with aortic valve disease.  We are constantly seeking treatments that are less invasive and provide a quicker recovery time for our patients.”

Dr. Golino is the only cardiothoracic surgeon trained to use this procedure at Manatee Memorial Hospital. He received his training on the Elite Valve System at the University of Padua in Italy, one of the major centers in Europe for advanced valve treatment.