MADERA, Calif. – Valley Children’s Healthcare has successfully performed its first procedure using the Medtronic Harmony™ Transcatheter Pulmonary Valve, a significant advancement that could help keep pediatric patients in need of a large pulmonary valve replacement out of open-heart surgery.
Dr. Teresa Evans, an interventional cardiologist at Valley Children’s, led the minimally invasive procedure, which allows doctors to replace a faulty large pulmonary valve through a catheter inserted in the leg.
The Harmony valve is especially useful for patients who require a valve replacement when they’re older, as a replacement of a larger valve wasn’t previously possible at Valley Children’s without open-heart surgery. The valve is the latest minimally invasive tool at the disposal of Dr. Evans and the cardiac catheterization team.
for the first time in 2025.
“The Harmony valves are nice because they’re designed for native pulmonary outflow tracts,” said Evans. “They sit in a large part of the heart coming out to the lungs and actually replace a valve, all done through the leg.”
According to Evans, patients who receive the Harmony valve typically recover quickly – often going home the next day. “It’s very nice to say, ‘Oh, you had a problem, we were able to fix it, and now you’re home,’” she said. “That’s really nice to be able to see that.”
Evans, who holds a Ph.D. in neuroscience and transitioned from neuroscience to cardiology, emphasized the unique capabilities of the cardiac catheterization lab. “Cardiology is fascinating from a physiology standpoint,” she said. “This is where we can actually see what’s going on with the heart and what we can do about it.”
The Harmony valve represents a significant step forward in pediatric cardiology, especially for children born with congenital heart defects who require a replacement later in life.
“Hopefully, this will keep some of those patients from needing open-heart surgery,” Evans said. “This is something that’s done with a big team of people, and we have that here. To be able to make a difference in all of those kids’ lives means a lot.”
As technology continues to evolve, Evans said she’s excited to see what’s next. “It’s fun to see new things come in and more and more that we’re able to do in the lab,” she said. “It’s happening pretty fast.”
To learn more about the Willson Heart Center, click here.
