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cardiac specialists

White Plains Hospital Launches Structural Heart Program with First Minimally Invasive Heart Valve Replacement Procedures

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Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) is the Newest Addition to the Hospital’s Comprehensive Cardiac Services

White Plains Hospital has announced the launch of the Montefiore Structural Heart Program at White Plains Hospital with the successful completion of its first three minimally invasive heart valve replacement procedures, known as Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacements (TAVR). The procedures were performed by Dr. Azeem Latib, a leading expert in interventional cardiology and Director of the Montefiore Structural Heart Program at White Plains Hospital, in one of the Hospital’s state-of-the-art cardiac catheterization laboratories, marking a key milestone in the growth of the Hospital’s advanced cardiac services.

More than five million Americans are diagnosed with heart valve disease each year, including 1.5 million with aortic stenosis – or the narrowing of the aortic valve. This condition often appears in those 65 and older and deteriorates with age. Older patients with aortic stenosis and other congenital heart diseases can often benefit from a TAVR.

The procedure, which typically takes less than an hour, involves specially trained cardiac interventionalists, in collaboration with world-class cardiac surgeons, using advanced imaging techniques to guide a flexible tube called a catheter through a small needle hole in the groin, up through the blood vessels, to the diseased aortic valve. The team then uses the catheter to deploy a new valve, immediately restoring function and blood flow. Patients are cared for by highly trained cardiac intensivists in the Hospital’s Cardiac ICU, and many of our patients go home the next day.

White Plains Hospital is one of just two healthcare facilities in Westchester offering this life-saving procedure to patients in Westchester County. Every patient is fully evaluated by a cardiac surgeon, interventional cardiologist, cardiologist and radiologist to determine the ideal course of treatment, whether that is a TAVR procedure or open-heart surgery. Also, with advanced imaging technology on-site, including high-resolution CT scanning, fusion imaging and cardiac MRI, patients can undergo convenient, same-day pre-operative testing at the Center for Advanced Medicine & Surgery (CAMS) in White Plains prior to the procedure.

The addition of the Montefiore Structural Heart Program at White Plains Hospital builds on the success of the Montefiore Cardiac Surgery Program at White Plains Hospital, which has exceeded national benchmarks for quality with exceptional patient outcomes in the two years since its launch. The program was recently recognized with a distinguished 3-star rating, the highest available, from The Society of Thoracic Surgeons, a designation that places it among the top 10% of programs for heart bypass surgery in the United States and Canada. White Plains Hospital’s cardiac care capabilities are further strengthened by its world-class Interventional Cardiology program and Cardiac Electrophysiology department, which is focused on the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of arrythmias and other emergent cardiac issues. White Plains Hospital’s experts work closely with a network of cardiologists and specialists throughout the Hudson Valley to ensure each patient receives the specialized care they need, close to home.

“This program underscores White Plains Hospital’s commitment to growing its advanced cardiac services for patients across the Hudson Valley,” said Dr. Latib. “These expanded capabilities allow us to provide the most appropriate treatment based on our patients’ needs, whether they require open-heart surgery or a minimally invasive procedure like a TAVR. We are excited to begin performing these procedures and look forward to continuing to advance the Structural Heart Program at White Plains Hospital.”

To learn more about the Montefiore Structural Heart Program at White Plains Hospital, call (914) 849-4200.

News and Photos Courtesy of White Plains Hospital

 

About White Plains Hospital 

White Plains Hospital is a proud member of the Montefiore Health System, serving as its tertiary hub of advanced care in the Hudson Valley. The Hospital is a 292-bed not-for-profit health care organization with the primary mission of providing exceptional acute and preventive medical care to all people who live in, work in or visit Westchester County and its surrounding areas. White Plains Hospital has outpatient medical facilities across Westchester, including multispecialty practices in Armonk, Larchmont, New Rochelle, Rye Brook, Somers and Yorktown Heights; and Scarsdale Medical Group locations in Harrison and Scarsdale.

The Hospital is fully accredited by the Joint Commission and in 2023, White Plains Hospital received another 5-star rating from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) – the highest distinction offered by that federal agency for the second consecutive year. In addition, the Hospital received its third Magnet® designation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), a distinction held by only two percent of hospitals in the country. White Plains Hospital has consistently received the Outstanding Patient Experience Award from Healthgrades®, and in 2022 became the only Hospital in Westchester to be awarded with an A Safety Grade from the Leapfrog Group for the 9th time.

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State of the Art Cardiac Cath Lab Anticipated Opening at Northern Westchester Hospital: September 2

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The Newly Opening Cardiac Catheterization Lab at Northern Westchester Hospital

Northern Westchester Hospital will open its highly anticipated comprehensive Cardiac Catheterization Lab on September 2nd, providing state-of-the-art interventional cardiology services to residents of Westchester, Putnam and Fairfield Counties, who would otherwise have to travel long distances during cardiac events when every second counts.

The Cath Lab will work as an extension of and in conjunction with Lenox Hill Hospital’s cardiac services, providing care for emergency level patients 24-hours a day, seven days a week.

“A cardiac catheterization lab is a specialized area in a hospital where cardiac specialists diagnose and treat coronary artery disease, such as various types of heart attack, using tiny flexible tubes called catheters to access the heart and coronary (heart) blood vessels,” explained Interventional Cardiologist Carl Dietrich Reimers, M.D., FACC, FSCAI, director of the new NWH Cardiac Cath Lab.

Garvey Rene, M.D., FACC, FSCAI of Caremount Medical, is associate director of the Cath Lab.

According to Dr. Reimers, Northern Westchester Hospital’s Cardiac Catheterization Lab will treat patients with coronary artery disease–a narrowing or blockage of arteries carrying oxygenated blood to the heart.

Until now, Northern Westchester Hospital patients who needed cardiac catheterization were taken to Valhalla, New York, or Stamford or Danbury, Connecticut. The new Cath Lab will eliminate the time between an emergency and treatment.

“It is critical to have a catheterization lab in close proximity since the most effective treatment is performed within 90 minutes of the onset of symptoms,” says Dr. Reimers, who is also vice chairman of cardiology at Lenox Hill Hospital and assistant professor of Cardiology at the Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell.

“When there is a blockage in the artery, the heart begins to suffocate from the lack of oxygen. However, if treated promptly, the damage can be reversed.

“When someone experiences chest pain and calls 911, the goal is to diagnose the patient, bring them to the catheterization lab and perform the procedure all within 90 minutes,” he added.

This new location eliminates delays in care that may come along with being transported to a location outside of Northern Westchester.

“The new Cath Lab will be vital to elevating the level of care that patients can receive right in the community,” said Dr. Reimers. “All of the physicians covering the Cath Lab also rotate at Lenox Hill to ensure seamless care for patients who require more complex procedures.”

Northern Westchester Hospital and Lenox Hill Hospital are both a part of New York State’s largest healthcare system, Northwell Health. A benefit of being a part of this network is the collaboration that exists between hospitals and facilities across the system.

All of the nurses preparing to work in Northern Westchester Hospital’s Cath Lab are trained in critical care medicine and have experience working in intensive care units. To build the team’s experience, the nursing team trained at two of Northwell’s facilities on Long Island. Additionally, Dr. Reimers said, four techs all trained at Lenox Hill Hospital to get hands-on experience prior to the lab opening.

Healthgrades ranked the cardiac program at Lenox Hill Hospital among the top 5% for six consecutive years. Additionally, Lenox Hill Hospital was one of the first hospitals in New York City to open a cardiac catheterization lab. In 1938, the first angiocardiography in the United States was performed at Lenox Hill Hospital, and in 1967, Lenox Hill Hospital opened the first cardiac care unit in the New York metropolitan area.

The collaboration between Northern Westchester Hospital and Lenox Hill Hospital will allow doctors, nurses and staff to discuss difficult scenarios.

“We will be available 24/7, 365 days a year to handle all cardiac emergencies,” said

Dr. Reimers. “We believe Northern Westchester Hospital’s Cardiac Cath Lab will save lives.”

For more information, please visit:nwhc.net/blog/CardiacCathLab