Jonesboro, AR — (JonesboroRightNow.com) — May 1, 2025 — NEA Baptist Memorial Hospital is offering a new, less invasive option for patients with aortic valve disease.
The hospital’s structural heart team first performed the procedure, called a transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), on Feb. 5. The team was led by Dr. Nephertiti Efeovbokhan and Dr. Ron Smith Jr. Dr. Basil Paulus with Stern Cardiovascular in Memphis assisted.
According to a news release from the hospital, TAVR is a minimally invasive way to replace a stiff or narrowed aortic valve without the need for open-heart surgery. In the procedure, the new valve is guided through a small artery in the groin and placed directly into the heart.
“When the aortic valve becomes narrowed (aortic stenosis), the heart has to work harder, eventually leading to heart failure if untreated. Sadly, severe symptomatic aortic stenosis can be deadly if not addressed. That’s why offering TAVR right here in our community is such a game-changer,” the news release said.
To learn more about the procedure, contact the hospital structural heart nurse navigator, Debra Roberts, at 870-936-8060 or find the team in the Cardiology Department, located on the second floor of the clinic side.
NEA Baptist Memorial Hospital is located at 4800 E. Johnson Ave. It is open 24 hours.