May 16 was Ruth Sensinger's first anniversary.

One year ago, on that date, Sensinger, 75, of Orefield, was one of two patients who became the area's first to undergo the newest type of less-invasive aortic valve replacement at Lehigh Valley Hospital,Cedar Crest, Salisbury Township.

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement is a treatment for patients who otherwise are too high-risk for conventional open-heart valve replacement surgery

Sensinger was considered a candidate for the procedure due to a severely calcified and blocked aortic valve and congestive heart failure that caused chronic shortness of breath, which was progressively getting worse for about two years.

An extensive and complex medical history prevented her from undergoing the standard open-heart operation.

"Before the surgery I couldn't talk without gasping for air," Sensinger said. "That's changed. I'm glad it's over. I can walk a lot further."

Sensinger is one of nearly 40 patients who have undergone the TAVR procedure at LVHN since last May.

Some of them along with their families and friends gathered recently at LVH-Cedar Crest, Salisbury Township, to reunite with their caregivers and meet with other recipients to share their stories and celebrate life.

"We wanted to recognize and thank our TAVR pioneers and celebrate an extraordinary year of advancements in heart care," said Raymond Singer, MD, cardio-thoracic surgeon and vice chair, LVHN's department of surgery. "Indeed, we are grateful for the trust and support of our patients and their families. They chose not to give up despite having very serious health problems.

"Their passion to survive and our passion to bring the most advanced heart therapies to our community have brought us together as a family doctors, nurses, and patients to give thanks and hugs."

With TAVR, a valve is inserted into the patient's diseased aortic valve via a catheter introduced through a tiny incision in the groin or chest.

Approximately 1.5 million people in the United States suffer from aortic stenosis, a progressive disease of the aortic valve.

In addition to being the first in the region to perform TAVR through the trans-femoral approach (as in Sensinger's case), LVHN also was the first to perform and be certified in the more advanced trans-apical approach.

In this procedure, a small incision is made under the breast, avoiding the risk of injuring blood vessels in the legs of patients who have peripheral arterial disease.

The LVHN team has performed approximately 20 of these procedures.