ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Should the day come when a medical breakthrough makes all the difference, it’s reassuring to know there is likely a clinical researcher already on the case. Mission Hospital, along with the HCA Healthcare Research Institute, is no exception — actively working on tomorrow’s medical breakthroughs, today. In fact, the hospital recently completed the first-in-human phase of a groundbreaking clinical trial in Western North Carolina.

This advanced, national clinical trial aimed to reduce the risk of stroke during transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). While TAVR can be a life-saving alternative to open-heart surgery for patients, especially those at high surgical risk, the threat of stroke from dislodged debris during the procedure has been a longstanding concern for both physicians and patients. About 2% to 3% of patients undergoing TAVR experience a stroke within the first 72 hours or before hospital discharge — odds that didn’t sit well with the researchers at Mission Hospital.

As such, they tested an innovative stroke protection device, developed by a cardiac surgeon local to Asheville, North Carolina. This device, also known as EmStop™, is the first fully integrated embolic protection system—used to prevent debris from entering the bloodstream — specifically designed for TAVR procedures.

With ten cases completed at Mission Hospital and five more at HCA Healthcare affiliate TriStar Centennial Medical Center, another clinical trial to further test the device will be expanded to select hospitals nationwide. If the results of the trial remain promising, this device may soon become the gold standard in valve replacement procedures.

“This trial is an exciting advancement in cardiac care,” said Dr. Michael Chenier, Structural Heart Interventional Cardiologist at Mission Hospital and Principal Investigator on the study. “Our patients in Western North Carolina have access to new, innovative technologies that may change the standard of care globally.”

As part of a learning health system, Mission Health and the HCA Healthcare Research Institute are unlocking insights into real-world data and clinical studies that are leading to scientific breakthroughs. HCA Healthcare’s Mission Health’s proactive, cutting-edge research and relentless innovation are transforming the future of cardiac surgery — creating a healthier tomorrow for us all.

Click here to learn more.