TAVI / TAVR

About

TAVI / TAVR

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is a minimally invasive surgery for patients with severe aortic valve stenosis to replace their heart’s aortic valve. For the right kinds of patients, it can be a viable alternative to conventional open-heart surgery.

TAVR recommended if:

Severe aortic stenosis that causes signs and symptoms.
A biological tissue aortic valve that isn’t working

Benefits of TAVR:

Outstanding substitute for traditional open-heart surgery
Decrease in mortality rate
Prevents any damage or infection
Shorter hospital stay (around 3-5 days)

Quick facts:

Repeat TAVI is a feasible and safe treatment of TAV degeneration
TAVI has a low risk of major adverse cerebrovascular and cardiac events.
TAVI valves have good durability out to six years.
TAVR Offers a Faster Recovery Compared to Open Heart Surgery

Procedure

To do this, a doctor will place a catheter (a hollow tube) with a balloon at its head into an artery in your groyne or under your collarbone.
The catheter is inserted into the heart and placed in the aortic valve’s opening.
After the new tissue valve has been positioned, the balloon is slowly inflated to expand the opening.
Depending on the type of valve, the new valve will either expand on its own or with the help of the balloon.
A deflated balloon and catheter can be more easily withdrawn from the body.
Your replacement valve has been inserted into the old, broken one.
The transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) procedure can also be performed by making an incision between two of a patient’s ribs and threading a catheter with a balloon at its tip into the patient’s left ventricle. This is an unusual occurrence known as a transapical approach.

Posterior to the operation

After your procedure, you might be required to stay the night in the intensive care unit (ICU) for monitoring purposes. There are a number of factors that will determine how long you are need to remain in the hospital following TAVR. Some patients who have TAVR are able to go home the same day.
Your treatment team will go over with you, before you leave the hospital, how to properly care for any wounds you may have had and how to recognise the early warning signs of infection. A fever, an increase in pain, as well as redness, swelling, drainage or seeping at the catheter site, are all indicators that an infection may be present.

Following transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), we may recommend one or more of the following medications:

Drugs that thin the blood (anticoagulants). Medication that thins the blood is often taken in order to reduce the risk of blood clots. We will discuss with you how long it is likely necessary for you to continue taking this medication. Always make sure to take your prescription as directed.
Bacteria are able to infect artificial heart valves if they are not properly cleaned. The majority of the bacteria that can lead to infections in the heart valves are actually found in the mouth. Having good dental hygiene and getting your teeth cleaned on a regular basis might be helpful in warding off illnesses like these.

How long does it take to recover after the procedure?

Once the surgery is complete, you will be assisted in getting out of bed the next day. It’s normal to feel sore after surgery; the painkillers are there to help. We want you to be as pain-free as possible, so we’ll be monitoring your degree of discomfort.
It usually only takes about a week for most people to get back on their feet and head home. Full recovery often takes between two and three months, though this varies from person to person based on their reaction to the treatment.