Structural Heart Program

UK Gill Heart & Vascular Institute’s Structural Heart Program has been a pioneer in diagnosing and treating structural heart issues for more than 25 years.

We offer several minimally invasive, leading-edge heart valve procedures, including MitraClip®, TAVR and WATCHMAN™ in a state-of-the-art facility with specific cardiac imaging technology not available elsewhere in Kentucky.

Our highly experienced cardiologists, cardiac surgeons, advanced imaging specialists, cardiac anesthesiologists, physician assistants, nurse practitioners and care coordinators combine their talents to offer high-quality, tailored care to patients across the state and region.

Structural heart conditions

John Gurley, MD discusses a scan with Kate Moore, PA-C. — *John Gurley, MD views a scan with Kate Moore, PA-C.*

Structural heart disease occurs when there is a defect in the heart’s wall, chambers or valves. A person may be born with a heart defect or develop one as they get older. The team at UK HealthCare’s Structural Heart Program is experienced in diagnosing and treating all types of structural heart disease, including aortic stenosis (AS), mitral valve regurgitation and patent foramen ovale (PFO). Learn more about the different types of structural heart disease »

Treatment

At UK, we work with each patient to choose the most fitting treatment option for their structural heart condition. As experts in the latest minimally invasive transcatheter approaches and catheter-based interventions, we offer many leading-edge procedures that are less risky and ensure a faster recovery than traditional open-heart surgery. In fact, 85 percent of our patients do not require anesthesia for their procedures and are able to return home the same day.

Read more about your options for treating structural heart disease at the UK Gill Heart & Vascular Institute, including:

Left atrial appendage occlusion.
Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR).
PFO closure.
AngioVac™.
MitraClip.

Clinical trials

In addition to our leading-edge treatment offerings, we provide access to clinical trials studying new and innovative approaches to managing various structural heart issues. Some of our minimally invasive procedures, such as LARIAT, AMULET and PFO closure, are only available through clinical trials. This means that patients in the Structural Heart Program at UK can experience potentially life-saving treatments not available at other institutions. For more information on current clinical trials, talk with your UK HealthCare team or visit our Clinical Trials at Gill webpage.