CINCINNATI (April 10, 2026) – The Christ Hospital Heart & Vascular structural heart team is the first-in-Ohio to offer FDA-approved Transcatheter Mitral Valve Replacement (TMVR) — a new option for patients with severe mitral valve disease who are high risk for surgery.
A transcatheter is a minimally invasive procedure performed in about one hour, avoiding the need for open-heart surgery in select patients.
As a key contributor to the ENCIRCLE trial, Santiago Garcia, MD, Director, Structural Heart Program and Harold C. Schott Foundation Endowed Chair for Structural and Valvular Heart Disease at The Carl and Edyth Lindner Center for Research and Education at The Christ Hospital, helped bring this therapy to FDA approval and is now helping deliver it to patients. The Christ Hospital is among the first programs in the country and first in Ohio offering this option. Dr. Garcia led the team which included Puvi Seshiah, MD, structural-interventional cardiologist and Nadia El-Hangouche, MD, structural imaging specialist.
“For patients with mitral valve disease who are not candidates for surgery, there have historically been limited treatment options,” said Dean Kereiakes, MD, Chairman, The Christ Hospital Heart & Vascular Institute. “The availability of transcatheter mitral valve replacement represents an important step forward for both patients and the field.”
This work is made possible through The Carl and Edyth Lindner Center for Research and Education, where clinical research and patient care come together to bring new therapies to patients. Developed in partnership with Edwards Lifesciences.
About The Christ Hospital Health Network
The Christ Hospital Health Network consists of an acute care hospital located in Mt. Auburn, a remote hospital location in Liberty Township, five ambulatory outpatient centers and dozens of medical offices throughout the region. For 136 years, The Christ Hospital has provided compassionate care to those it serves. Made up of more than 1,300 physicians and more than 7,200 team members, our mission is to improve the health of our community by providing exceptional outcomes in an affordable way. The Network was recognized by U.S. News & World Report as the #1 hospital in the Cincinnati Region and named to Newsweek’s World’s Best Hospitals list in 2026.