TAVR, or transcatheter aortic valve replacement, is a form of minimally invasive surgery that repairs the aortic valve in your heart. If the aortic valve is not working properly, it can cause aortic stenosis, which restricts blood flow to the rest of your body. TAVR allows your cardiologist to treat aortic stenosis without using open-heart surgery.
Who Is TAVR For?
Your provider may recommend TAVR if you have severe aortic stenosis and require aortic valve replacement. The best treatment option is determined by a multidisciplinary heart team, which considers factors such as your overall health, anatomy, medical history, and personal
How Is TAVR Performed?
Instead of removing the valve entirely through open-heart surgery, your provider puts a replacement valve in its place. The procedure is similar to placing a stent. Your provider will thread a catheter through one of your arteries and into the damaged heart valve. The new valve expands inside the old valve and is able to regulate blood flow properly.
What Are the Benefits of TAVR?
Since the surgery is minimally invasive, there is lower risk of infection, less pain and less blood loss than with open-heart surgery. Your recovery time will also be shorter, and you will be able to perform day-to-day activities, including exercise, soon after your procedure.
