On December 6, 2022, Missouri Baptist Medical Center performed its 1,000^th transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR).

“We are proud to reach this milestone,” says Michael Mauney, MD, cardiothoracic surgeon on staff at Missouri Baptist. “MoBap was among the first medical centers in the nation to adopt this procedure following FDA approval in Fall 2011.”

TAVR is a minimally invasive procedure for replacing a stenotic (tight) aortic valve in which the aortic valve narrows, reducing blood flow from the heart to the aorta. This procedure can also replace failed artificial aortic and mitral valves. TAVR is a treatment option to be considered for those with severe aortic stenosis, including many with worn-out surgical valves.

Tom Caspari thought he was too healthy to have a heart attack.

Todd Stewart, MD, is no stranger to critically ill patients and life-saving procedures. As a spinal neurosurgeon and chief of neurosurgery at Missouri Baptist Medical Center, it’s all in a day’s work. But it came as a shock when he suffered a life-threatening heart attack last year.

Sarah and Andrew Sapperstein were looking forward to being parents and were overjoyed and shocked to discover that they were having twins. As the months passed, Sarah's pregnancy was going smoothly, and they planned to welcome their babies by cesarean section (C-section) at 38 weeks.

At the top of Kristina Skinner’s to-do list when she was pregnant with her first baby was to learn about breastfeeding. In preparation for her new arrival, Kristina attended Missouri Baptist Medical Center’s breastfeeding class, where she learned the basics of breastfeeding and received information about pumping.Then as her due date approached, Kristina and her husband, Nathan, finished the nursery and eagerly awaited the arrival of their first child. “I felt prepared for delivery, breastfeeding and becoming a mom.”