Banner Good Samaritan only Arizona hospital chosen to lead cardiac clinical trial
PHOENIX (April 14, 2011) — Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center is one of a select group of clinical sites now participating in a new U.S. clinical trial to evaluate a revolutionary treatment for a common heart disease, severe aortic stenosis.
Aortic stenosis occurs when the heart's aortic valve narrows. When the aortic valve is obstructed, the heart needs to work harder to pump blood to your body. Eventually, this extra work weakens the heart. Open heart surgery is the only way to fix the condition and many people with aortic stenosis are too weak for surgery.
The new valve replacement procedure channels a catheter (thin tube) with a prosthetic valve through the femoral artery to reach the heart. The CoreValve System is designed with self-expandable technology, deploying the new valve inside the diseased aortic valve without open-heart surgery or surgical removal of the native valve.
The clinical trial, locally led by principle investigators Drs. Timothy Byrne and Michael Caskey, is evaluating the Medtronic CoreValve System as a non-surgical, minimally invasive treatment option for patients with severe aortic stenosis who are predicted to be at high risk, or are ineligible, for open-heart surgery.
“We’re excited to partner with other leading cardiac specialists in the U.S. to study this revolutionary technology,” said Dr. Timothy Byrne, principle investigator at Banner Good Samaritan.
Candidates will be screened and rated based on their level of severity. Those who qualify and are classified as extremely high risk (inoperable) will receive the CoreValve. All other patients will be randomized for either the CoreValve implantation or conventional aortic valve replacement surgery.
The Medtronic CoreValve U.S. clinical trial will enroll a total of more than 1,200 patients at 40 U.S. clinical sites, including Banner Good Samaritan. Patients interested in learning about the qualifications for the clinical trial at Banner Good Samaritan should contact the research office at (602) 839-5674.
About Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center
Located in downtown Phoenix, Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center has been providing medical care since 1911, and is the flagship hospital within Banner Health. Banner Good Samaritan is recognized as a Magnet™ hospital for nursing excellence and is ranked as one of America’s “Best Hospitals” by U.S.News & World Report, ranking No. 33 for Heart and Heart Surgery. Today, more than 4,200 nurses and Banner Good Samaritan staff members work with more than 1,700 physicians representing nearly 50 specialties to provide care to more than 43,000 inpatients each year.
CONTACT: Rainey Holloway
Rebecca Armendariz
Ph: (602) 839-4411
Pgr: (602) 250-0383
