Fran Norris Scoble was first diagnosed with a heart murmur as a teenager. Years went by without any cardiac concerns. “It wasn’t serious, so I didn’t think about it very much,” she said.
When she was older, Scoble began annual checkups to track changes to her heart function. At this year’s appointment, something alarming showed up on the echocardiogram. She was referred to interventional cardiologist Gregory Giesler, M.D., a Huntington Health-affiliated physician. Scoble’s aortic valve had narrowed and wasn’t allowing sufficient blood to pass from her heart to her body — a serious condition called aortic stenosis. Facing a potentially life-threatening condition, she underwent a transcatheter aortic valve replacement, or TAVR — a minimally invasive alternative to open-heart surgery.
Giesler performed the procedure at Huntington Hospital. “When they wheeled me into the operating room, I was stunned,” she said. “From just a quick look at the technology involved, I could tell it was a very complex procedure.”
The TAVR procedure was a success and she went home the next day. Today, she is stronger with a fully functional heart.
“There was a personal touch from every single person I interacted with at Huntington Hospital,” Scoble said. “Dr. Giesler was reassuring throughout the entire process, and the nurses who cared for me were attentive and encouraging.”
Scoble is deeply appreciative of Sue Duquette, the TAVR coordinator. “I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone better at their job than Sue,” she says. “She can answer any question you have, and she’s the perfect blend of pragmatism and compassion.
“I can never thank the team at Huntington Hospital enough,” Scoble says. “They’ve given me a chance to watch my grandsons grow up, to have more happy days with family and friends, and to have more years of feeling healthy and strong.”
Learn more about transcatheter aortic valve replacement by finding a cardiologist affiliated with Huntington Health.
