For many patients, heart disease can be traced to a structural defect or damage, often in the valves of the heart, caused by age, an injury or infection.
Our team of experts work together to provide a comprehensive approach to structural heart disease, using the most advanced technologies and procedures to help repair or replace damaged areas of the heart. From diagnosis to treatment, our care team will partner with you to find the right option to fit your unique health needs.
For adults whose heart defects began in infancy, the Adult Congenital Heart Disease program – a partnership between Methodist University Hospital, the University of Tennessee Health Science Center and Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital – provides lifelong care.
Treatment Options
ECHO — The echocardiogram procedure (ECHO) is an ultrasound test that images the moving heart. High‐frequency sound waves are sent to the heart and transmitted back to the ultrasound machine as live moving images providing a comprehensive evaluation of the heart’s function and structure, including the chambers and valves. Your doctor may suggest an echocardiogram to:
- Check for problems with the valves or chambers of your heart
- Verify if heart problems are the cause of symptoms such as shortness of breath or chest pain
- Detect congenital heart defects
The WATCHMAN Procedure — The WATCHMAN implant can help reduce stroke risk in people with atrial fibrillation not caused by a heart valve problem and is an alternative to blood thinners. During this minimally invasive operation, a small device is inserted into a part of the heart called the left atrial appendage to cut off blood flow and reduce risk of blood clots and stroke.
MitraClip Procedure — Designed for patients who are too ill to undergo open heart surgery, the innovative new MitraClip is a far less invasive solution. A clip is placed in the heart using a catheter inserted through a vein in the groin to clamp a leaky mitral valve and prevent valve regurgitation. This allows a patient’s heart to exert less effort to deliver oxygen to the body more efficiently.
TAVR Procedure — Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is an innovative procedure for patients who have aortic stenosis, a narrowing of the heart’s aortic valve opening. TAVR replaces damaged heart valves using a minimally invasive procedure, which can mean less pain, less scarring and a faster recovery. Because it is minimally invasive, TAVR offers new hope to patients once regarded as too sick for conventional surgery.
Our Team
