Heart and Vascular Team Performs Another First-of-Its-Kind Procedure

Patricia Lenton had been hospitalized repeatedly because of heart failure, but now she is doing well with no signs of stroke.

At 81 years old, Patricia Lenton had seen more than her fair share of the inside of hospital rooms. 

She'd been hospitalized several times in the past because of heart failure. But Interventional Cardiologist Marvin Eng, MD, used a rare procedure to break that cycle and give Lenton a better quality of life. 

To do this, Dr. Eng and the Heart and Vascular team performed the first percutaneous balloon lithotripsy for mitral stenosis in Nebraska. Dr. Eng also published the first one in the U.S. at another facility in 2017. 

Lenton was on dialysis and had mitral stenosis (a stiff heart valve), which can lead to heart failure or stroke. She couldn't have surgery, so Dr. Eng:

• Inserted a small tube through a blood vessel to her heart (this is the percutaneous part, which means under the skin).

• Used sound waves to break up the calcium on the rigid heart valve (this is the lithotripsy - it's also used on things like kidney and gallbladder stones).

• Used a balloon to gently stretch the valve open.

Lenton is doing well today with no signs of stroke and went home shortly after the procedure.