AUSTIN (KXAN) – At 75 years old, Lorraine Cook has lived through two heart attacks and a major open-heart surgery. Now retired, she says her latest experience with an innovative, non-surgical procedure has given her new life.
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In March, Cook became one of the first patients in the Austin area to undergo the transcatheter tricuspid valve replacement (TTVR) procedure at Baylor Scott & White in Round Rock. The treatment is designed for people with tricuspid regurgitation, a condition that occurs when the valve between the two right chambers of the heart doesn’t close properly, causing blood to leak backward.
Unlike open-heart surgery, this procedure uses a tiny incision in the groin to deliver a device that clips the valve tight and restores blood flow. The FDA approved the therapy earlier this year, and cardiologists say it’s a game-changer for patients who are often too high-risk for traditional surgery.
“After this last one, I was out shopping,” Cook laughed…