Dr Manjinder Sandhu

     Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) or transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) is a procedure that replaces a damaged aortic valve with a new one by percutaneous (non-surgical) route.

    This minimally invasive surgical procedure repairs the valve without removing the old, damaged valve. Instead, it wedges a replacement valve into the aortic valve’s place.

This procedure is for people who have been diagnosed with severe symptomatic aortic stenosis and are at intermediate or greater risk for open heart surgery.

     This less invasive procedure is different than open heart surgery. TAVR uses a catheter to replace the heart valve instead of opening the chest and completely removing the diseased valve. Somewhat similar to a stent placed in an artery, the TAVR approach delivers a

fully collapsible replacement valve to the valve site through a catheter.

    Once the new valve is expanded, it pushes the old valve leaflets out of the way and the tissue in the replacement valve takes over the job of regulating blood flow.

   There are several factors that our specialized Heart Team takes into consideration when deciding whether or not you are at intermediate or greater risk for open heart surgery, and therefore, a possible candidate for TAVR.

The procedure requires some tests like CT Aortography, Echocardiography and routine pre-procedure blood tests. TAVR requires hospitalization  for 3-4 days.