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Cardiac staff at Sydney Adventist Hospital have celebrated a major milestone – the 1,000th performance of a life-changing valve procedure.
The Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation, known as TAVI, was first introduced at New South Wales' largest private hospital – also known as the San – in 2015.
It is a less invasive option than open-heart surgery for patients needing repair of their aortic valve, which performs vital functions in regulating blood flow.
If the aortic valve becomes narrowed, blood flow can be impaired or restricted, causing patients to experience fatigue, chest pain or breathlessness.
A heart-shaped cake seemed a fitting way to mark the milestone at a morning tea in the cardiac ward with Adventist HealthCare CEO Brett Goods, San cardiologist Dr Jason Sharp and the cardiac team.
San staff celebrated with a special cake at morning tea
"It's an incredible achievement and it's wonderful to think of that long list of patients who have been helped by having this minimally-invasive procedure over the last decade," Mr Goods said.
TAVI procedures involve inserting a new valve through an artery to reach the site of the old valve.
The new valve is typically made of biological tissue shaped to mimic the natural valve, and eventually replaces it.
The San's 100th TAVI patient was a NSW Central Coast great-grandmother in 2019, and the 750th procedure was performed by 2023.
"This milestone is also an opportunity to reflect on the work of our specialists who keep us at the forefront of cardiac care," Mr Goods said.
"And of course, we're also very grateful to our surgical teams who support them and ensure our patients receive world-class healthcare at the San."
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2/11/2025 Sea of pink for San's breast cancer campaign
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