Sharon Regional Medical Center has a new advanced cardiac care procedure.

SRMC completed its first successful Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) in late June, expanding its access to advanced cardiac care.

TAVR is a technique for cardiac patients that are high risk or are too sick for traditional open-heart surgery.

While conducting a TAVR, physicians use a catheter to replace a failing heart valve. The use of the catheter is less invasive than traditional open-heart surgeries.

SRMC's Chinedu Angela E. Igwe, M.D., MPH, performed the first TAVR at the site on June 28. Officials say the procedure will help high and intermediate-risk patients with aortic stenosis.

Aoritic Stenosis impacts more than 2.5 million Americans over the age of 75 each year and many of them refuse or are denied traditional open-heart surgery.

"TAVR will save lives and provide another option for patients, who may not qualify for open-heart surgery," said Bob Rogalski, President of Sharon Regional Medical Center. "We are proud to be able to bring this transformative and much-needed procedure to the region."