Matthew Saybolt, M.D., FACC, medical director, Structural Heart Disease Program at Jersey Shore University Medical Center, led the treatment of New Jersey's first patient using the next-generation, self-expanding Evolut™ FX Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) System, a minimally invasive alternative to open-heart surgical aortic valve replacement.
The academic medical center is among the first in the nation and the first in New Jersey to provide this fourth-generation TAVR system, which further refines the Evolut platform with enhancements to the self-expanding system.
“This new TAVR delivery system is directed through blood vessels and into the heart with more flexibility, and our hope is that this new design makes the procedure safer and accessible to more patients. The new system also allows for more precise implantation and is more easily visible through our imaging, enhancing our ability to successfully place the valve in the optimal position for the patient,” said Dr. Saybolt.
About the Evolut FX TAVR System
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently approved the Evolut FX TAVR system, providing physicians at JSUMC another option to treat the growing symptomatic severe aortic stenosis (ssAS) patient population.
The newest iteration of the Evolut system is equipped with gold markers built into the frame to provide implanters with direct visualization to better assess depth of implant and valve leaflet location.
The FX delivery catheter incorporates a redesigned tip for a smoother insertion profile, and a more flexible delivery system to allow for 360-degree freedom of motion – this helps provide a stable, predictable deployment. The self-expanding Evolut FX TAVR System enables physicians to treat a broad range of patients with varying valve anatomies and includes four key valve sizes for the largest indicated patient annulus range and the lowest delivery profile on the market (for 26-29mm sizes).