Building a destination center for heart care
Dr. Paul Sorajja's groundbreaking procedure marks latest milestone in cardiovascular excellence
Dr. Paul Sorajja and his team celebrating a successful completion of the first implantation in the United States of Valcare's Amend ring.
When Paul Sorajja, MD, performs a groundbreaking procedure, he's not just changing one patient's life—he's advancing the future of cardiovascular medicine. In February, Dr. Sorajja made history by performing the first implantation in the United States of Valcare's Amend ring for transcatheter mitral valve repair at Banner – University Medical Center Phoenix. This minimally invasive approach treats mitral regurgitation—a condition where the heart's mitral valve doesn't close properly, allowing blood to leak backward—without the need for open-heart surgery.
Valcare’s AMEND ring, offering a new option to patients who previously faced limited treatment options. Image courtesy of Valcare Medical.
"The Amend system represents a significant advancement for patients who may not be good candidates for traditional surgery," explains Dr. Sorajja, who serves as associate director of the Banner Heart Institute and is the Lentsch Family Endowed Director for the Advanced Structural Heart Center. "It's delivered through a catheter and enables repair on a beating heart, while preserving future treatment flexibility."
Dr. Sorajja was recently named No. 1 on Becker's ASC Review's list of top five physicians to watch in cardiology—a testament to his pioneering work in transcatheter valve therapies and extensive research contributions.
Since joining Banner last September, Dr. Sorajja has brought exceptional credentials to the cardiovascular program. With more than 500 published manuscripts, leadership roles in multiple national clinical trials, and a track record of performing first-in-human valve therapies, he exemplifies Banner's commitment to recruiting world-class physicians.
"We are building a destination cardiovascular program that will serve patients throughout Arizona and beyond," says Dr. Roderick Tung, director of Banner – University Medicine Heart Institute. "Dr. Sorajja's pioneering work will significantly enhance our cardiovascular services."
Dr. Sorajja is no stranger to ushering in new discoveries in cardiovascular care. He made medical history in 2016 when he became the first doctor in the world to use a specialized mitral device, Tendyne, to treat a patient with severe mitral annular calcification (MAC) – a condition where dangerous calcium buildup around the heart valve makes traditional surgery life-threatening. His pioneering work led to the first FDA approval of the device that can replace damaged heart valves in patients who were previously considered too sick for surgery.
Dr. Sorajja led a nationwide study that followed 103 patients who received the Tendyne treatment. The results were remarkable: Nearly nine out of 10 patients saw significant improvement in their heart failure symptoms and reported major improvements in their quality of life and ability to be active. The procedure was also successful in eliminating dangerous valve leakage in virtually all patients.
"We're seeing patients who couldn't walk to their mailbox now able to enjoy time with their grandchildren again," Dr. Sorajja explained.
Check out the latest episode of Banner Health’s “Beyond the Rounds” podcast featuring Dr. Sorajja, who discusses how innovations like the TriClip procedure are improving quality of life for patients who previously had limited or high-risk treatment options.
Philanthropy makes it possible
Endowed leadership roles like the Lentsch Family Endowed Director for the Advanced Structural Heart Center provide the resources needed to attract and retain leading experts. This philanthropic investment provides vital programmatic support, ensures our cardiovascular clinicians have the most advanced training, supports acquisition of state-of-the-art equipment, and drives innovative research that transforms patient care. We are grateful to the Lentsch family for their generous support of the Banner’s Cardiovascular program, which also includes a gift to renovate the Cardiac Care Unit at Banner – University Medical Center Phoenix.