April 20, 2017 — The Structural Heart Program at Princeton Baptist Medical Center, (Birmingham, Ala.) recently became the first center in the Southeast to implant the newly U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved CoreValve Evolut Pro.
The transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) device is indicated for the treatment of severe aortic stenosis for symptomatic patients who are at high or extreme risk for open-heart surgery. Recently unveiled clinical data showed high survival, low rates of stroke, minimal paravalvular leak (PVL) and excellent hemodynamics for the self-expanding valve.
Aortic stenosis is a common and serious condition that occurs when the heart’s aortic valve narrows, restricting blood flow from the heart to the aorta, which can severely weaken the heart muscle. If left untreated, it can lead to heart failure and even death. Mustafa Ahmed, M.D., director of the Structural Heart Disease Program at Princeton Baptist Medical Center, Clifton Lewis, M.D., cardiac surgeon at Princeton, and their team have performed several hundred cases involving TAVR .
“One of our strongest areas of expertise is treating patients with aortic stenosis who likely could not undergo open-heart surgery. We have performed several hundred TAVR procedures,” said Ahmed. “As established leaders in the field of cardiac surgery and advancing the field through research and the use of cutting-edge technology, we continue to strive to advance new minimally invasive treatments for our patients and surrounding communities.”
The Evolut Pro device features a unique valve design with an outer wrap that adds surface area contact between the valve and the native aortic annulus to further advance valve sealing performance. The biocompatible porcine pericardial tissue wrap, in addition to other design elements, is incorporated to address the occurrence of blood leaking through the sides of the valve. It is both recapturable and repositionable, so accuracy in placement and control during the procedure is increased.
The Evolut Pro System is delivered through the EnVeo R Delivery Catheter System and is indicated for vessels down to 5.5 mm. The EnVeo R system features an InLine Sheath that makes it the lowest delivery platform currently on the market, according to Medtronic. It also provides a greater opportunity to treat patients with smaller vessels through the preferred transfemoral access route.
For more information: www.medtronic.com
July 01, 2026 
