West Hudson Valley News

Garnet Health Medical Center has joined forces with Columbia University Irving Medical Center to enhance its structural heart services at the Middletown campus. This collaboration aims to address heart disease, a leading cause of death in Sullivan and Orange counties.

The partnership is exemplified by the case of Patricia Watson, a Delaware County resident who was diagnosed with severe aortic stenosis. This condition involves the narrowing of the aortic valve, which can lead to significant health issues if untreated. "In the last two years, I noticed I didn’t want to go out as much," Patricia recalled about her declining activity levels before her diagnosis.

Patricia underwent a transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) at Garnet Health. The procedure involves using a catheter to insert a new valve, providing an alternative to open-heart surgery with typically shorter hospital stays. Following her treatment, Patricia expressed gratitude: "Thanks to Garnet Health, I got my life back."

Beyond structural heart services like TAVR, Garnet Health also provides cardiothoracic surgery through partnerships with NY-Presbyterian and Columbia University Irving Medical Center. Their open-heart surgery program, launched in 2023 in Orange County, has successfully completed numerous complex surgeries since its inception.

Garnet Health's Peter Frommer, M.D. Heart Center offers extensive cardiac care options from diagnostic tests and treatments to rehabilitation services. Residents are encouraged to consult their cardiologists for any heart-related concerns or contact Garnet Health Doctors for assistance in finding one.