Healthcare Insights
Top 10 hospitals performing TAVR procedures
Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is a minimally invasive procedure performed on patients with an aortic valve stenosis diagnosis. The aortic valve is located between the left ventricle (lower heart chamber) and the aorta (the body’s main artery). If the valve doesn’t open correctly, blood flow from the heart to the body is reduced. The TAVR procedure replaces a thickened aortic valve that cannot fully open with an implantable medical device. Transcatheter aortic valve replacement may also be called transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI).
The TAVR procedure was first used in 2002 and has since been performed on more than 600,000 patients worldwide. According to Definitive Healthcare data, the TAVR procedure grew 190% between 2016 and 2022. This procedure became the most common method to replace the aortic valve in 2019. Prior to the TAVR procedure, open-heart surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) was the primary method used. However, due to operative morbidity and mortality secondary to advanced age and comorbid disease, many patients were deemed inoperable. The global evolution of TAVR has been attributed to rapid technology enhancement, procedure simplification, and a stunning reduction in complications, according to the American College of Cardiology.
Using intelligence from the Definitive Healthcare Atlas All-Payor Claims Dataset, we’ve ranked the top 10 hospitals performing TAVR procedures by percentage of overall U.S. procedures in 2022.
| Rank | Hospital | City | State | % of TAVR procedures in U.S. in 2022 | Explore dataset |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cleveland Clinic Main Campus | Cleveland | OH | 3.3% | Explore |
| 2 | Piedmont Atlanta Hospital (AKA Piedmont Hospital) | Atlanta | GA | 2.0% | Explore |
| 3 | University Hospital | Ann Arbor | MI | 1.7% | Explore |
| 4 | Mayo Clinic Hospital - Saint Marys Campus | Rochester | MN | 1.6% | Explore |
| 5 | Methodist Hospital | San Antonio | TX | 1.6% | Explore |
| 6 | OhioHealth Riverside Methodist Hospital | Columbus | OH | 1.5% | Explore |
| 7 | Stanford Hospital - 300 Pasteur Dr | Stanford | CA | 1.1% | Explore |
| 8 | The Mount Sinai Hospital (AKA Mount Sinai Medical Center) | New York | NY | 1.0% | Explore |
| 9 | TriStar Centennial Medical Center | Nashville | TN | 0.9% | Explore |
| 10 | Bryan East Campus | Lincoln | NE | 0.9% | Explore |
Fig. 1 Data is from the Definitive Healthcare Atlas All-Payor Claims product for calendar year 2022. data is sourced from multiple claims clearinghouses in the United States and is updated monthly. Data is accurate as of June 2023.
Which hospital performed the most TAVR procedures?
Cleveland Clinic Main Campus in Cleveland, Ohio is ranked at the top of the list with 3.3% of all U.S. TAVR procedures. Cleveland Clinic started its TAVR program in 2006 at the Heart, Vascular, and Thoracic Institute. The institute’s data suggests that the program consistently achieves better-than-expected outcomes, which include reduced in-hospital mortality rates.
Following at 2% is Piedmont Atlanta Hospital. Within its Marcus Heart Valve Center, this hospital performs the second-highest volume of TAVR procedures in the U.S. with an experienced, multidisciplinary heart team. As with the Cleveland Clinic, patients here have outstanding outcomes, including a lower rate of mortality and stroke compared to the national average and a median two-day stay in the hospital.
What risks and complications are associated with TAVR?
All surgical and medical procedures are associated with some type of risk. According to the Mayo Clinic, TAVR complications and risks may include:
- Bleeding
- Blood vessel complications
- Problems with the replacement valve, such as the valve coming out of place or regurgitation (leaking)
- Stroke
- Arrhythmias (heart rhythm problems) and the need for a pacemaker
- Kidney disease
- Heart attack
- Infection
- Death
One study published by the American College of Cardiology in March of 2023 concluded that the rate of deaths and disabling strokes for TAVR procedures are not significantly different compared to conventional surgery. It was however, noted that “while the current study’s findings are largely reassuring, longer-term data for low-risk patients are still needed and patients enrolled in the study will be followed for 10 years.”
What kind of doctors perform TAVR procedures?
Because TAVR falls within the cardiology branch of medicine, cardiologists, cardiac surgeons, cardiothoracic surgeons, and interventional cardiologists typically perform TAVR procedures within a hospital setting. This is an inpatient procedure requiring patients to stay overnight, occasionally in the intensive care unit (ICU) for monitoring. To perform TAVR, a doctor inserts a catheter into a blood vessel, usually in the groin or chest area, and guides it into the heart. Echocardiography is used to help the doctor place the catheter into the correct position.
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For informational purposes only. Consult a medical professional for advice.
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