McLaren Northern Michigan, the comprehensive regional health care provider offering a full range of cardiovascular services, performed 75 transcatheter aortic valve replacements (TAVR) in 2025. This advanced, minimally invasive procedure relieves patients of quality-of-life-limiting, potentially life-threatening symptoms caused by aortic stenosis.
Performed by cardiologist Dr. Siddharth Gandhi, the 75 procedures represent more than double the 29 performed in 2024, with plans to expand the program further in 2026.
"TAVR allows us to treat aortic stenosis without open-heart surgery, which significantly reduces recovery time and complications," Dr. Gandhi said. "Bringing this level of local care to northern Michigan means our patients can access advanced treatment close to home. Doubling our procedure volume reflects both the need for this care and our team's capability to deliver exceptional outcomes."
Aortic stenosis is a common, yet serious, condition mainly affecting older patients. Stemming from a narrowing of the aortic valve --- the largest blood vessel branching off the heart, pumping blood to the rest of the body --- the heart is forced to work harder, adding strain and causing symptoms of chest pain, shortness of breath and other breathing difficulties, fatigue, and dizziness.
If left untreated, the condition can ultimately be life-threatening.
Cardiologists perform TAVR to replace the narrowing valve without open-heart surgery, restoring the valve's function, while avoiding an extended recovery process.
The past year also saw the continuing expansion of the hospital’s WATCHMAN program under the directorship of cardiac electrophysiologist Dr. Naomi Overton.
Similarly a minimally invasive procedure performed in the cardiac catheterization lab, the WATCHMAN implant safely, effectively, and permanently seals the heart’s left atrial appendage, a small, pouch-like extension of the left atrium chamber of the heart. The appendage can pose a significant risk for patients living with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation as blood can collect in the opening and form potential stroke-causing blood clots. Closing the appendage allows patients to reduce their elevated stroke risk while also relieving their need for blood thinner medications.
Dr. Overton implanted 69 WATCHMAN in 2025, an increase from 48 the previous year, and 19 in 2023.
"Growing the heart and vascular program reflects the dedication and skill of our entire team," said Gar Atchison, McLaren Northern Michigan President and CEO. "While we're proud to celebrate these milestones and achievements, we recognize the real success is the trust and confidence our patients have in our care."
To learn more about TAVR, WATCHMAN and all services offered at McLaren Northern Michigan, visit mclaren.org/northernmichigan.
About McLaren Northern Michigan
McLaren Northern Michigan is a 202-bed acute care hospital located in Petoskey, Michigan, serving 22 counties across northern Lower Michigan and the eastern part of the Upper Peninsula. Part of statewide McLaren Health Care, McLaren Northern Michigan provides a range of patient-centered care offerings, including primary, preventive, and diagnostic services, trauma (verified Level II) and emergency medicine, and specialty care, including surgical, cardiovascular, orthopedics, neurosciences, and women’s health services. A branch of the Karmanos Cancer Network, the largest network of cancer providers in the state, cancer care provided at the Karmanos Cancer Institute at McLaren Northern Michigan is anchored by the world-renowned Karmanos Cancer Institute in Detroit. The hospital also operates McLaren Northern Michigan – Cheboygan Campus, a multidisciplinary medical campus with a freestanding emergency department and the Justin A. Borra Behavioral Health Center. An ACGME-accredited facility, the hospital’s graduate medical education department trains tomorrow’s health care providers in a unique rural family medicine program. McLaren Northern Michigan is accredited by The Joint Commission and has a full history of providing rural communities with high-quality, patient-centric care. Learn more at mclaren.org/northernmichigan.
About McLaren Health Care
McLaren Health Care, headquartered in Grand Blanc, Michigan, is a $7.3 billion, fully integrated health care delivery system committed to quality, evidence-based patient care and cost efficiency. The McLaren system includes 12 hospitals in Michigan, ambulatory surgery centers, imaging centers, a 640-member employed primary and specialty care physician network, commercial and Medicaid HMOs covering more than 732,838 lives in Michigan and Indiana, home health, infusion and hospice providers, pharmacy services, a clinical laboratory network and a wholly owned medical malpractice insurance company. McLaren operates Michigan’s largest network of cancer centers and providers, anchored by the Karmanos Cancer Institute, a National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center. McLaren has 20,000 full-, part-time and contracted employees and more than 113,000 network providers throughout Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio. Learn more at mclaren.org.