“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. “Being chosen as the first site to test EmStop reflects the depth and innovation of our cardiovascular research program. Our patients in western North Carolina are benefiting directly from technologies that may change the standard of care globally.”

While TAVR is a life-saving alternative to open-heart surgery for patients with severe aortic stenosis—especially for patients at high surgical risk—the threat of stroke from dislodged debris during the procedure has long been a concern for physicians and patients. The embolic protection device aims to make this life-saving procedure even safer by addressing the rare but dangerous risk of stroke. The device has the potential to become a standard component of valve replacement procedures in the future. Following the successful completion of the initial ten cases at Mission Hospital and five cases at HCA Healthcare affiliate TriStar Centennial Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee, Phase II will expand the trial to select hospitals nationwide, including additional HCA Healthcare hospitals. 

The HCA Healthcare Research Institute is the multispecialty clinical research arm of HCA Healthcare focused on advancing therapies for patients through its affiliated network of providers and care sites. As a leading health system research site network with approximately 44 million patient encounters annually, HCA Healthcare utilizes evidence-based research to advance patient care across their network and industry-wide.