Elizabeth Kapovich, an 83-year-old resident of Hometown, Illinois, recently completed cardiac rehabilitation after a transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) procedure at Northwestern Medicine Palos Hospital. Her journey began when she was treated for RSV and doctors discovered she had severe aortic valve stenosis.
“I was out of breath. I was in the hospital for a while, and that kind of set me back, and that’s when they discovered it. The doctor, he said, you have a bad valve,” Kapovich recalled.
Kapovich’s primary care physician referred her to Dr. Anshuman Das, an interventional and structural cardiologist with the Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute at Northwestern Medicine Palos Hospital. Due to her age and worsening symptoms, open-heart surgery posed significant risks. Dr. Das recommended TAVR as an alternative.
“For many older adults or those with significant comorbidities, TAVR offers an option that was not available merely 10 or 15 years,” Dr. Das said. “As people age, they often develop other medical conditions that can make open-heart surgery too risky. TAVR allows us to treat a serious valve problem safely while helping patients return to their lives much sooner.”
TAVR is performed in a cardiac catheterization lab rather than through traditional open-heart surgery. The minimally invasive approach can lead to shorter hospital stays and faster recovery times.
The Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute reports performing the highest number of transcatheter and surgical valve procedures in Illinois since introducing the technique during a clinical trial at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in 2008.
“At Northwestern Medicine, our aim is to deliver compassionate, modern, evidence-based medicine that is convenient and accessible for the patient,” Dr. Das said. “Liz is a perfect example of how our heart team at Northwestern Medicine Palos Hospital collaborates to make a meaningful impact. We like to make a connection with our patients by understanding who they are as a unique individual. This allows us to understand what their goals are with their care and how best we can help.”
Kapovich’s son, Ron Koronkowski, has experience working on cardiovascular device development but found his mother’s case personal.
“I’ve been involved in working on some novel cardiovascular device developments in my career, mainly in structural heart areas,” he said. “It doesn’t come close to home that often, but this sent a chill down my spine. It was like, oh my gosh, this is really going to happen. And on the flip side of that, I felt a high level of confidence that this device is going to do exactly what it’s intended to do. I was totally impressed with Northwestern Medicine’s level of care.”
Dr. Das explained the benefits: “Because the procedure is minimally invasive, many of our patients notice easier breathing and more energy later that same day,” he said.“By offering this level of advanced heart valve care right here in the South Suburbs at Northwestern Medicine Palos Hospital, we’re making it possible for patients to receive life‑changing treatment close to home, surrounded by the people who support them.”
After her procedure and rehab program completion, Kapovich noticed improvements quickly: “I wasn’t out of breath anymore,” she said joyously.“They’re so helpful at the rehab.If you need anything ,they’re right there ,helping you.It’s very nice to know that if you need anything at all ,just ask .”
Northwestern Medicine operates under its parent organization Northwestern Memorial HealthCare (https://news.nm.org/) and focuses on providing world-class care centered around patient needs (https://news.nm.org/). The health system also recognizes community contributions through humanitarian awards reflecting compassion (https://news.nm.org/) and receives national recognition for supporting physician well-being (https://news.nm.org/). Howard B. Chrisman serves as president and chief executive officer (https://news.nm.org/), guiding collaborations focused on advancing research and education (https://news.nm.org/).
For more information about TAVR or services offered by Northwestern Medicine Palos Hospital or Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute:
– TAVR procedure details
– Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute contact
– About Northwestern Medicine
