Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) is a minimally invasive procedure
for severe aortic valve stenosis, meaning the aortic valve, the last valve
that the oxygenated blood leaves, is small and does not open properly.
Severe aortic valve stenosis is diagnosed by an echocardiogram and only
has a survival rate of less than two years once the patient becomes symptomatic.
Some of the symptoms include extreme fatigue, shortness of breath with
exertion, dizziness, and passing out spells. There are no medications
to treat a severe aortic valve stenosis, and if left untreated, it is fatal.
The recovery time for TAVR is 24-48 hours in the hospital then one week
of recovery at home.
Pre-op routine: Before the TAVR procedure, your care team will examine you and perform
necessary labs, imaging and tests, including an echocardiogram, carotid
ultrasound, angiogram of the heart to assess coronary anatomy, and a CT
scan of the chest, abdomen, pelvis and heart. Lastly, you will have a
clinic visit to discuss the TVAR procedure with an interventional cardiologist
and cardiothoracic surgeon.
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