Heart Valve Center

Southwest Florida’s Heart Valve Center

The Heart Valve Center is a coordinated effort between cardiologists and Shipley surgeons to deliver a comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach to treating valve disease. Within a single center, patients and their referring physicians have access to a full range of valve therapies including transcatheter procedures, minimally invasive techniques, and traditional open-heart surgery.

With a state-of-the-art hybrid operating room, Shipley Cardiothoracic Center has done the most transcatheter procedures in Southwest Florida since the program's initiation. The Heart Valve Center is a continuation of the quality and expertise that has made Shipley Cardiothoracic Center the premier SWFL cardiac surgery program.  

One of our standout procedures offered is the Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR). It replaces damaged valves using a catheter, eliminating the need for open heart surgery.

Multidisciplinary Valve Conference

The highlight of the Heart Valve Center is the weekly valve conference. The team meeting brings together HealthPark's top cardiac experts cardiologists, anesthesiologists, cardiac surgeons, operating room staff, and nurses to collaboratively discuss each patient case. Referring physicians are welcome to participate in their patient’s evaluation and receive immediate updates on the interventional plan.

What is Heart Valve Disease

Valve dysfunction significantly impacts heart health, disrupting blood flow and increasing strain on the heart muscle. Your heart has four valves: mitral, tricuspid, pulmonary, and aortic. These valves open to let blood pass through, then close to prevent blood from flowing back in the wrong direction. Mild valve problems can be treated with medication. More severe valve problems often require surgery to enable the valve to work correctly. Heart valves can develop two issues:

• Stenosis (narrowing): The valve does not open wide enough to allow sufficient blood flow through.
• Regurgitation (leakage): The valve fails to close completely, causing the blood flow in the wrong direction.

Why Heart Valve Surgical Repair is Done

Persistent shortness of breath, fatigue, and irregular heartbeats are common signals of the need for intervention. Swelling in the abdomen and chest pain can also indicate malfunctioning heart valves, requiring further testing and evaluation. Over time, this can lead to heart enlargement and failure. 

Lee Health's early intervention through heart valve repairs alleviates these pressures, restoring normal function and safeguarding heart health. Successful heart valve surgical repair improves quality of life, exercise capacity, and reduces future complication risks. After cardiac rehabilitation, patients resume normal activities and experience improved well-being post-surgery.