A healing heart

For Rosalie Youngerman, the chance to get a new aortic valve without open-heart surgery was literally a lifesaver. In July, Youngerman became the 100th person at UF Health Shands Hospital to undergo a transcatheter aortic valve replacement, a procedure that allows surgeons to replace valves in patients who are not good candidates for open-heart surgery. The procedure, called TA VR for short, allows a team of collaborating surgeons and cardiologists to replace a dysfunctional aortic valve with an artificial one through a small incision in the groin or side of the chest. They use a catheter to insert the new valve and maneuver it to the right place inside the body. The old valve remains in place, but the new one pushes it harmlessly against the wall of the aorta. In August, Youngerman returned home, and she recently resumed one of her favorite activities: visiting residents at a nursing home in the area. — Laura Mize