Receiving news that you’ve been diagnosed with severe aortic stenosis and may need your aortic valve replaced can be overwhelming. You may wonder if you will be able to participate in your favorite activities, eat the same food, or approach life in the same way.

It is important to talk to your doctor about all of your treatment options, especially if you are experiencing symptoms such as fatigue and shortness of breath. The onset or worsening of symptoms is many times an indicator that valve replacement may be required.

The good news is, there are different options to replace your aortic valve, including a less invasive treatment called transcatheter aortic valve implantation, or TAVI for short. This procedure used to only be available for people who were too weak to undergo open heart surgery. But now, any severe aortic stenosis patients who are experiencing symptoms can be considered for TAVI. Only a Heart Team can tell you if it is right for you.

The idea of a heart valve replacement can be scary. Luckily, the less invasive TAVI procedure is an option for more patients than ever before.

Unlike open heart surgery, in which an incision is made in your chest to remove the unhealthy valve, TAVI uses a catheter to implant a new valve within your diseased valve. TAVI can be performed in multiple ways but the most common is through the femoral artery with the incision in the groin.

TAVI is proven to have lower instances of death, stroke and rehospitalization compared to open heart surgery.¹

Other TAVI benefits may include²: