Bronson Completes First PASCAL Structural Heart Procedure

Procedure expands minimally invasive heart treatment options for patients in southwest Michigan

Bronson Advanced Cardiac Healthcare recently reached an important milestone with the successful completion of its first Mitral Transcatheter Edge-to-Edge Repair (M-TEER) using the PASCAL device at Bronson Methodist Hospital.

Interventional cardiologists Dr. Christopher Rogers and Dr. Thomas Keller performed the procedure with support from Dr. Michael Pack, Dr. Robert Williams and Bronson's structural heart team.

While the PASCAL procedure is not new to cardiac care, its addition at Bronson represents another step forward in providing comprehensive structural heart services close to home for patients across southwest Michigan.

"This milestone reflects our continued commitment to expanding access to advanced cardiac treatments," said Kristan Baas, manager of nursing at Bronson's cardiovascular catheterization laboratory. "By adding the PASCAL procedure to our structural heart program, we can offer another minimally invasive option for patients whose health conditions may make traditional surgery too risky."

Mitral regurgitation occurs when the heart's mitral valve does not close properly, allowing blood to leak backward. Symptoms can include shortness of breath, fatigue and difficulty performing daily activities. During a PASCAL M-TEER procedure, physicians guide a catheter through a blood vessel to the heart and use the PASCAL device to bring the valve leaflets closer together, helping the valve close more effectively and reduce blood leakage.

The success of the procedure highlights the collaboration required to deliver advanced heart care. In addition to the physicians involved, teams from anesthesia, the cardiac catheterization laboratory, the post-recovery unit, echo services and many support departments worked together to make the procedure possible. Learn more about Bronson's structural heart program at bronsonhealth.com/heart.