What to Expect During the TAVR Procedure
As you prepare for your transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), you probably have a lot to think about. It’s also likely you may have some questions about the procedure itself.
Unlike open heart surgery, TAVR uses a less invasive approach to replace a diseased aortic valve. Your TAVR Doctor will walk you through the details of the TAVR procedure. But it is also helpful to understand how TAVR is done, and what to expect on the day of your procedure.
On the Day of Your Procedure
Your TAVR Doctor will perform the procedure at a hospital. Depending on your health, they will determine what type of anesthesia is best for you. You may be fully asleep, or you may be awake but given medication to help you relax and block pain. Your heart will continue to beat during the procedure. This is quite different than open heart surgery, in which your heart will be stopped, and you will be placed on a heart and lung blood machine.
Depending on your health and the procedural approach recommended by your doctor, the average TAVR procedure lasts approximately 1.5 hours. In comparison, the average open heart surgery lasts approximately 4 hours.1
Your TAVR Procedure
TAVR can be done in multiple ways, but the most common approach involves a small incision made in the leg. This is called the transfemoral approach. Other approaches for TAVR may be considered by your doctor depending on your individual anatomy.
If you have questions about your TAVR procedure approach, speak to your doctor.
TAVR Procedure: Step-by-Step
TAVR Procedure: Step-by-Step
Step 1 of 4
A small incision is made in your upper leg. This is where your TAVR Doctor will insert a short, hollow tube called a sheath into your femoral artery.
The new valve is then placed on the delivery system (or tube) with a balloon on the end. The new valve is compressed on the balloon to make it small enough to fit through the sheath.
The delivery system carrying the valve is pushed up to your aortic valve. Once it reaches your diseased valve, the balloon is inflated, expanding the new valve into place. The new valve pushes aside the leaflets of your diseased valve. Your existing valve holds the new valve in place. Once your new valve is in place, the balloon is deflated and removed.
The new valve will open and close as a normal aortic valve should. Your TAVR Doctor will make sure your new valve is working properly before closing the incision in your leg.
People may feel relief from their symptoms soon after their TAVR procedure, but others may take a little longer to get back to normal. Talk to your doctor about how long your recovery may take.
As with any medical procedure, there are risks. The most serious risks of TAVR include: death, major stroke, major vascular complications, and a life-threatening bleeding event.
Because TAVR is a less invasive procedure, the recovery is different from open heart surgery. Learn what you can expect during your recovery from TAVR.
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The PARTNER II Trial intermediate-risk cohort unadjusted clinical event rates, AT population.