Structural Heart

What we do

The Alfred Structural Heart Program is a team of specialised doctors, nurses, cardiac physiologists and radiographers. The program began in 1995, initially with early transcatheter heart procedures, and then the team went on to become pioneers of Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation starting in 2008, and completing their 1000th case in 2022, to all patients with aortic stenosis. The program is now one of the most comprehensive and largest structural heart programs in Australia, extending across the full spectrum of transcatheter cardiovascular therapies. 

The program is led by one of Australia’s most experienced structural heart specialists, Prof Tony Walton, along with Prof Dion Stub, Dr. Shane Nanayakkara, A/Prof Sonny Palmer, Mr. Adam Zimmet and Dr Nay Min Htun, and Dr. Samer Noaman.

We aim to continue being leaders and innovators in structural heart treatments and are committed to improving patients’ lives and providing the latest and highest quality of care to all our patients with structural heart conditions.

We also aim to continue being leaders and innovators in structural heart treatments through excellence in research. The Structural Heart Program has consistently made a significant academic contribution with multiple international medical publications, conferences presentations and involvement in international clinical trials.

Who we care for

We assess and treat people with a wide range of problems associated with their heart valves and with the chambers of their heart.

Some of the conditions we treat are:

• When the heart valves have become tight (a stenosis)
• When the heart valves are leaky (regurgitation)
• When there is a problem between two of the chambers of the heart such as a patent foramen ovale (PFO, or 'hole in the heart')

The procedures are completed as a minimally invasive procedure instead of open heart surgery.

What to expect

Minimally invasive treatment procedures are performed through a catheter (a small long hollow plastic tube) inserted into the blood vessel in the leg or chest (instead of having open heart surgery). These include proceudres such as a Transcather Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI) and percutaneous mitral valve repair.

We see people at all stages of the journey from assessment through to treatment and any ongoing management. Support and coordination of assessments is facilitated by a dedicated Structural Heart Nurse Coordinator, closely linked with our clinical research team.

How to access this service

Referral from your GP

You need a referral letter from your GP or medical practitioner to access this service.

Your doctor will need to fax your referral letter to us. We will be in contact with you in clinically recommended times, depending on waiting list length. If there is no waiting list, you will receive an appointment booking letter or we will contact you to arrange a suitable time.

Our clinics