Jupiter Medical Center First in Palm Beach County to Offer PASCAL Precision System

The leader in quality, safety and patient experience, Jupiter Medical Center is pleased to announce it is the first in Palm Beach County to introduce the PASCAL Precision Transcatheter Mitral Valve Repair System, an alternative life-saving therapy for patients with severe degenerative mitral regurgitation (DMR). The innovative technology, approved by the FDA in late 2022, provides surgeons with enhanced precision in transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (TEER) cases.

Augusto Villa, MD, FACC, FSCAI, is medical director of the Structural Heart Program at Jupiter Medical Center. He successfully performed the procedure on a patient at Jupiter Medical Center in late March.

“This is an exceptional addition to our full continuum of cardiac care at Jupiter Medical Center,” said Dr. Villa, a board-certified and fellowship-trained Interventional cardiologist with extensive experience in cardiovascular diseases, interventional and structural cardiology. “For patients too high-risk for open heart surgery, which would typically be the conventional way to repair a mitral valve leakage, the PASCAL is minimally invasive and provides an excellent outcome.”

Jupiter Medical Center and Dr. Villa were selected to utilize this state-of-the-art technology by Edwards, the manufacturer of PASCAL, due to the hospital’s reputation for high-quality care and its full complement of post-operative rehabilitative services to ensure exceptional patient outcomes. Dr. Villa and members of the Structural Heart team attended specialized training in Chicago with echocardiologists, interventional cardiologists and surgeons from Northwestern University, along with scientists from Edwards. Training included case planning, an echocardiogram review of potential patient candidates for the PASCAL, and a simulated laboratory environment.

“We are very excited to be the first across Palm Beach County and Martin County selected by Edwards to implement the PASCAL,” continued Dr. Villa.

The recognition by Edwards to be the first in the region comes in advance of the opening of the health system’s highly anticipated Johnny and Terry Gray Surgical Institute. The construction of the Surgical Institute, on track to open in fall 2023, is in direct response to the significant growth of the community and corresponding patient volumes. More than 15,000 traditional and minimally invasive surgical procedures are performed at Jupiter Medical Center annually.

“Providing our community with access to the newest technology to improve treatment outcomes, such as the PASCAL, is at the core of our mission,” says Rogerio C. Lilenbaum, MD, FACP, FASCO, Senior Vice President and Chief Physician Executive of Jupiter Medical Center. “The Robson Heart and Vascular Institute has grown remarkably since launching two years ago. Our team’s commitment to providing high-caliber cardiac care with a full range of minimally invasive and traditional treatment options has made us the clear choice for patients and their physicians.”

Jupiter Medical Center’s Robson Heart & Vascular Institute’s excellent reputation for clinical excellence, quality, safety and patient experience make it the destination for a wide range of heart conditions. Jupiter Medical Center provides a full continuum of care, including preventive cardiology, noninvasive diagnostic procedures, interventional cardiology and advanced electrophysiology for arrhythmias such as atrial fibrillation, along with open heart surgery and cardiac rehabilitation. For three consecutive years, the Institute has been voted by The Palm Beach Post’s readers as “Best Heart Center” in the annual Community Choice Awards.

For more information about Jupiter Medical Center, visit jupitermed.com, call the Structural Heart and Valve Coordinator at 561-263-3767, or follow Jupiter Medical Center on Facebook and Instagram @jupitermedicalcenter.

ABOUT JUPITER MEDICAL CENTER

Top rated in the region for quality, safety and patient experience, Jupiter Medical Center is the leading destination for world-class health care in Palm Beach County and across the Treasure Coast. Jupiter Medical Center’s state-of-the-art facilities and cutting-edge technologies enable its award-winning physicians to provide a comprehensive continuum of inpatient and outpatient health care services. Jupiter Medical Center’s specialty centers of excellence include: orthopedics, comprehensive cancer care, cardiovascular care, neurosciences, and women’s and children’s services. For more information about Jupiter Medical Center, please call 561-263-2200 or visit www.jupitermed.com.