Structural Heart and Valve Care Program

Our program brings together heart experts from Overlake, Kaiser Permanente and EvergreenHealth. Together, we have helped hundreds of patients overcome structural heart issues and get back to healthier, more active lives. Our patient outcomes are among the best in Washington state and on par with other top hospitals in the nation.

At Overlake, we offer the latest, most innovative treatments and a comprehensive valve care program. This program is led by a team of experts who provide a wide range of treatments and work together to choose the best one for you. We offer traditional open-heart surgeries, as well as minimally invasive surgeries and catheterization procedures that carry shorter hospital stays and faster recovery times.

Conditions we treat

Structural heart conditions involve changes in the structure of the heart. These conditions often affect heart valves. Some of these conditions are present at birth. Others are caused by disease or develop as we get older. We treat a wide range of structural heart and valve disorders including:

• Cardiomyopathy
• Congenital heart diseases including atrial septal defects and ventricular septal defects.
• Heart valve diseases including aortic valve stenosis, mitral valve prolapse, mitral valve stenosis, and pulmonary stenosis.

Treatments and services

We offer the full spectrum of treatments for heart valve disease and structural issues. These treatments include:

Aortic Valve Procedures

• The Ozaki procedure, which repairs an aortic valve using material from a patient’s own heart. Overlake is the only hospital west of the Mississippi offering this innovative procedure.
• Surgical aortic valve replacement, including minimally invasive procedures to replace this important valve.
• Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), which enables patients to have their aortic valve replaced without open-heart surgery.

Mitral Valve Procedures

• Mitral valve repair and replacement, including minimally invasive mitral valve repair.
• Minimally invasive tricuspid valve repair and replacement.
• Transcatheter mitral valve repair, which uses a device called a mitral valve clip to repair mitral valve regurgitation, without open-heart surgery.
• Transcatheter mitral valve replacement, to replace a mitral valve that isn’t working correctly by using a catheter without open-heart surgery.

Cardiac Implant Closures

• Patent foramen ovale (PFO) closure, a procedure to treat an opening between the heart’s upper chambers (atria) that usually closes at birth. Most PFOs do not need treatment, but if a PFO is very large or a person is at risk for blood clot or stroke, doctors may recommend a PFO closure. Many patients who need treatment are candidates for a minimally invasive procedure where doctors close the PFO using a long, thin tube called a catheter. We can also perform PFO closures through open heart surgery.
• Minimally invasive procedure to repair atrial septal defect (a hole between the heart’s upper chambers). Doctors insert a long, thin tube called a catheter through a vein in the groin and use that tube to close the hole in the heart.

A comprehensive heart valve program

You’ll have access to expert and personalized care through our dedicated valve program. Each week, our heart care team has a conference that brings together structural heart doctors, surgeons, interventional cardiologists, imaging specialists and other experts. They discuss your unique valve problem and the best treatment plan to meet your needs. Your referring cardiologist — the heart doctor who knows you best — can also join these meetings. We’ll evaluate the various options for heart valve procedures together. And we’ll select one based on your immediate health needs and your long-term health goals. 

A partnership between three top healthcare institutions

Overlake is proud to partner with two other top healthcare institutions, EvergreenHealth and Kaiser Permanente. Through this alliance, we offer a Center of Excellence that delivers structural heart care to people who need it, including all Kaiser Permanente members in Washington state. This gives hundreds of thousands of patients access to accomplished heart experts, with the goal of delivering the highest-quality care in our region.

A team approach to personalized care

We use a team approach that brings together cardiologists, surgeons, nurse practitioners and other experts in several different specialties. This enables us to evaluate each patient from every angle and trade perspectives and ideas. Then, we work together to develop a treatment plan that is tailored to you and provides the best opportunity for a good outcome.

A concierge philosophy that puts you first

At the Structural Heart and Valve Care Program, our team stays close throughout your entire care journey. Our doctors, nurse practitioners, nurses and schedulers are always here for you or your loved one, whether you have a question about your condition or need to quickly schedule a follow-up appointment. We guide you through each step in the care process, answer your questions immediately and find time for appointments as soon as you need them.

Our core values are to connect, communicate and educate. We go out of our way to get to know each patient and their family. We take time to educate you on your condition and answer your questions. And we work hand-in-hand with you to help you select the right treatment and understand everything it entails. This approach helps our patients feel comfortable that they’re getting the best possible care and that they’re thoroughly prepared for their treatment and recovery.

Convenient care, close to home

Patients from across the region travel here for heart care, drawn by our top doctors, our innovative procedures and our excellent outcomes. Whether you or your loved one live nearby or hundreds of miles away, our location in downtown Bellevue offers ample parking, and easy access to freeways, hotels and other amenities that you and your family may need.