Walter Franklin likes to get things done. He’ll put all his daily tasks on a yellow Post-it note, and even if there are five or more, he doesn’t like to stop until he’s done.

But in early March 2021, he couldn’t get past the first one.

“I had to come home and sit down,” recalls Walter, 91. “I told my wife, Pat, we better call 911.”

What happened next isn’t really clear in Walter’s memory. He knows he went to David Grant Medical Center on Travis Air Force Base, a place he used to call his work home as medical administrator for many years. And about two weeks later, he was sent to NorthBay Medical Center for a new aortic valve.

“I guess David Grant did all they could do, and it was time for NorthBay,” he recalled.

Lucky for Walter, a pair of NorthBay Health physicians offer a minimally invasive valve replacement procedure that was just what the doctor ordered.

Interventional cardiologists Mark Villalon, M.D., and Saba Lahsaei, M.D., teamed up in NorthBay Health Medical Center’s cardiac catheter-ization lab to perform a Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement — aka TAVR — supported by cardiovascular surgeon Shea Pribyl, M.D., and the cardiac catheterization team.

The procedure involves a half- inch incision in the leg. A catheter is inserted and guided to the heart, where it is used to replace the diseased aortic valve.

“The arteries are like pipes, creating our window to the valve,” explained Dr. Villalon.

Both Drs. Villalon and Lahsaei have performed hundreds of TAVR procedures in their careers.

Since the procedure was first performed in France in 2002, the technology has greatly improved, said Dr. Lahsaei. “The equipment has become better, smaller and more efficient.”

Before it was offered at NorthBay, patients had to travel to Sacramento, Walnut Creek or St. Helena for the procedure, said Dr. Lahsaei. “Now it’s available close to home.”

Walter was surprised at all the fuss. He hadn’t experienced any symptoms earlier, but when it hit, it hit hard. It turned out that he had aortic stenosis, which is a narrowing of the aortic valve opening. Like Walter, many people don’t realize they have it until it becomes critical.

It’s not unusual that people don’t recognize the symptoms of aortic stenosis, but it’s actually easy for a physician to detect. A doctor can hear it by using a stethoscope during a regular exam.”
Mark Villalon, M.D., interventional cardiologist

Not so many years ago, a valve replacement would have required open heart surgery, a multiple-day stay in the hospital, and a painful recovery. Instead, his procedure was done in about an hour, and he was released within two days and was back home in Suisun City with his bride of 66 years.

“It’s not unusual that people don’t recognize the symptoms of aortic stenosis, but it’s actually easy for a physician to detect,” said Dr. Villalon. “A doctor can hear it by using a stethoscope during a regular exam.”

It’s not surprising that after his release, Walter, a retired medical administrator, a retired chief master sergeant and a retired assistant chief of administration for a VA Hospital —  did what he does best: He went to work.

Only this time, his area of focus was solely on his own health. Helping him in that endeavor was the team at NorthBay Cardiac Rehabilitation, at the VacaValley Wellness Center.

“What a great group of people there,” recalled Walter. “They made me work, but they helped me in many ways. When they told me I graduated, I hated to leave,” he said.

Now he’s back to working with those sticky notes. But not too many tasks at a time, or his wife Pat will be on his case, he said with a chuckle.

“I just can’t stay still,” he admitted. “I like to keep busy.”

And thanks to a successful TAVR procedure, he can.

For more information, visit NorthBay.org/TAVR.

Meet Interventional Cardiologist Mark Villalon, M.D.

Interventional cardiologist Mark Villalon, M.D., carries a letter with him every day in his suit pocket. It’s from a teenager whose grandfather was one of Dr. Villalon’s patients.

“In the letter, he tells me he thanks God I was there the day his grandfather needed me, and how grateful he is that I saved his grandfather’s life,” explained Dr. Villalon. “I keep it as a reminder that I do this to serve others. That’s my why.”

Dr. Villalon earned his medical degree from Drexel University, served a residency in hospital medicine at Boston University School of Medicine, a fellowship in cardiology at Boston University Medical Center and a Fellowship in Interventional Cardiology at UC San Francisco before coming to NorthBay Health in 2019.

Dr. Villalon said his faith-based values inspire him to continue to be a servant to others, especially those who are most vulnerable. He treats patients for a number of cardiovascular issues, including valvular heart disease, coronary artery disease, common heart arrhythmias, and cardiomyopathies.

His motivation doesn’t stop there. He also chooses to be a leader in multiple ways. This year he is serving as vice chief of staff, and will become chief of staff in 2024. He also serves as a board member for NorthBay Health Foundation and is an assistant professor of medicine at the University of California, Davis.

He’s married to another Dr. Villalon ­— his wife Rachel is an obstetrician and gynecologist at NorthBay Health.

Being a cardiologist can be a stressful job, he admits, “but I love doing what I do because of the people. It’s an honor to have such an impact on their lives.”

To learn more about Dr. Villalon, or to watch a video, visit:Northbay.org/Villalon

Meet Interventional Cardiologist Saba Lahsaei, M.D.

When Saba Lahsaei, M.D., was 10 years old, he had a bout with rheumatic fever. To ensure that his heart wasn’t damaged, he had an echocardiogram — which actually allowed him to view his own heart.

“That was it,” remembered the NorthBay interventional cardiologist. “I knew I wanted to be a doctor who dealt with hearts. I was fascinated by it.”

The fascination continued, propelling him to earn his medical degree at Shiraz University Medical Sciences in Iran, through fellowships in vascular and endovascular interventions, structural heart disease and interventions in Iran and Massachusetts. He came to California for a fellowship at the California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco, and did his residency at Alameda County Medical Center in Oakland, before joining NorthBay Health Heart & Vascular in 2018.

He is passionate about offering new and life-saving procedures to patients in Solano County, noting his greatest joy is helping his patients live a healthy life.

To learn more about Dr. Lahsaei, or to watch a video, visit northbay.org/Lahsaei