St. Luke’s Medical Center-Bonifacio Global City announced Wednesday it has completed more than 300 transcatheter aortic valve replacement procedures, a milestone for a program that began in 2012.

The hospital’s cardiovascular care team, led by Dr. Fabio Enrique Posas, reached the mark 14 January. Officials said the achievement reflects a decade-long effort to provide advanced cardiac care within the Philippines, reducing the need for patients to seek treatment abroad.

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement, or TAVR, is a minimally invasive alternative to traditional open-heart surgery. Instead of a large chest incision, surgeons use a catheter to deliver a bioprosthetic valve, typically through the groin or wrist.

“When we started this journey over a decade ago, our goal was to ensure that this kind of advanced intervention would be made available locally,” Posas said.

The procedure is often preferred for elderly or high-risk patients who may not tolerate conventional surgery.

According to the medical team, most TAVR patients are discharged within three days, significantly faster than the recovery period for open-heart operations.