St. Joseph’s Medical Center Completes Milestone of 700th Minimally Invasive TAVR Procedure

(STOCKTON, CA) October 24, 2025 – Dignity Health St. Joseph’s Medical Center (SJMC) has reached the milestone of completing 700 transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) procedures, led by surgeons Dr. James Morrissey, Dr. Jerome McDonald, and Dr. Mahbub Jamil.

TAVR is a minimally invasive procedure that focuses on replacing a thickened aortic valve that has difficulties fully opening, due to either aortic valve stenosis or aortic valve regurgitation, both of which cause reduced blood flow from the heart to the rest of the body.

“We are proud to continuously provide the highest quality of cardiac care to the Stockton and surrounding community,” said Tina Munoz, St. Joseph’s Director of Cardiac Services. “Everyday, I am privileged to work with our highly trained team of Interventional Cardiologists and Cardiothoracic Surgeons who work together to provide this specialized procedure to our patient population, helping increase the quality of life for countless individuals.”

Those at risk for requiring a TAVR procedure include individuals with other health conditions, such as lung or kidney disease, high blood pressure, infections or injury to the heart, and those with congenital heart disease. Symptoms include but are not limited to heart murmur, chest pain, fainting and dizziness, and shortness of breath. The minimally invasive TAVR procedure has many benefits, such as closed valve replacements and minimal recovery time, in addition to being an option for many individuals who do not qualify for open surgery.

In addition to the Cardiothoracic Surgeons, TAVR cases also include Interventional Cardiologists Dr. Cyrus Buhari, Dr. Haytham Aljoudi, Dr. Venkata Emani, Dr. Alaa Gabi, Dr. Adnan Khan, and Dr. Waqas Choudhry. This team of physicians are supported by the Structural Heart Nurses, David Bacon, RN, Maureen Dunn, RN, and Mae Fabella, RN.

St. Joseph's Morrissey Family Heart & Vascular Institute has been nationally recognized by institutions such as U.S. News & World Report and Healthgrades for high-performing clinical outcomes, level of nursing care, and patient experience. Please visit here for more information, and to check your risk of heart disease, please visit here. For interview opportunities with the TAVR team, please contact [email protected].

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About St. Joseph’s Medical Center 
Dignity Health St. Joseph's Medical Center is a not-for-profit, fully accredited, regional hospital with 355 beds, a physician staff of over 700, and more than 2,700 employees. Specializing in cardiovascular care, comprehensive cancer services, and women and children's services, St. Joseph's is committed to delivering compassionate, high-quality, affordable health care services with special attention to the poor and underserved. As a Sponsoring Institution for Graduate Medical Education, St. Joseph’s supports rapidly growing educational programs for both resident physicians and medical students. In addition to being nationally recognized as a quality leader, St. Joseph's is consistently chosen as the "most preferred hospital" by local consumers. St. Joseph's is the largest hospital, as well as one of the largest private employers in San Joaquin County. Founded in 1899 by Fr. William O'Connor and administered by the Dominican Sisters of San Rafael, St. Joseph's continues to lead the region in medical innovation. St. Joseph's Medical Center is a member of Dignity Health/CommonSpirit Health, a nonprofit Catholic health system with care sites across 21 states dedicated to advancing health for all people. For more information, please visit DignityHealth.org/Stockton.