December 20, 2022

A Kingwood man put his whole heart into being Santa. Then he needed a new one.

Texas man Deryl McKenzie has been a Santa Claus for nearly four decades, but needed a heart transplant in 2018. McKenzie has Type 2 diabetes. He had dealt with heart problems for years, but by 2018, his condition had escalated…


December 8, 2022

Patient dear to Santa’s heart grateful to be alive after his own heart stopped several times.

Leading up to the holiday season, Gary and Anne Dellacroce put on their holiday gear as Mr. and Mrs. Clause – a tradition they’ve carried together for over 15 years. But this year, their celebrations were slightly different. One day…


November 30, 2022

Heart & Vascular Team Leads First Sapien 3 Ultra Transcatheter Heart Valve System with RESILIA Tissue Implant in the State of Texas

Congratulations to the Heart & Vascular team who participated in Texas’ first implantation of the new Sapien 3 Ultra transcatheter heart valve system with RESILIA tissue. This transcatheter heart valve provides dry tissue storage and includes advanced calcium-blocking technology for relief of aortic stenosis…


November 23, 2022

Dr. Richard Smalling Receives UTHealth Houston President’s Scholar Award for Excellence in Clinical Service

On Wednesday, Nov. 9., four awards were given to deserving individuals who have demonstrated longstanding excellence within the University. Nominated by their peers, each award carries an honorary title of UTHealth Houston President’s Scholar, along with a cash prize. Among…


November 17, 2022

Heart & Vascular Team are the First in South Texas to Use PASCAL Technology to Treat Mitral Regurgitation

Congratulations to the Heart & Vascular team members who participated in South Texas’ first procedure using the PASCAL Precision system for transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (TEER) to treat patients with degenerative mitral regurgitation. TEER approximates the anterior and posterior mitral valve…


November 3, 2022

Retired MLB player shares message of good heart health after suffering congestive heart failure.

Jim Breazeale, a retired MLB player living in Houston, wants to spread the message of prioritizing your health. Breazeale has had two heart attacks and is suffering Congestive Heart Failure. “It was just getting to where I could walk a…


October 29, 2022

Soren Cobb and Joshua Wong Place Second in C. Frank Webber Prize for Student Research

As part of the annual Summer Research Forum, the C. Frank Webber Prize for Student Research recognizes rising second year students who conducted research in biomedical sciences. This year, two students within Heart & Vascular placed in the competition. Sponsored by Iraida Sharina, PhD,…


October 27, 2022

Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery Memorial City Named UTPhysicians’ Clinic of the Quarter

We are thrilled to announce our Clinic of the Quarter award recipient, Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery team in Memorial City. This esteemed recognition is bestowed upon a clinic that exemplifies excellence in patient care, innovation, and outstanding performance. The Cardiothoracic…


October 20, 2022

Her deadly diagnosis made pregnancy risky. But this Houston woman took the leap.

Brooke Garcia was 27 weeks pregnant when she arrived at Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center. As an intensive care unit and ER nurse at a hospital in her hometown of Beeville, she knew the warning signs of pulmonary arterial hypertension –…


September 30, 2022

First Sapien X4 Implant in the State of Texas Performed by UTHealth Houston Heart & Vascular Physicians

As part of a clinical trial, multiple UTHealth Houston team members participated in the first Sapien X4 transcatheter heart valve implant in the State of Texas. The clinical trial aims to establish the safety and effectiveness of the Edwards Lifesciences’…


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