What Is The TAVR Procedure?
If you’ve been diagnosed with severe aortic stenosis (the narrowing or obstruction of the aortic heart valve), you may not need open-heart surgery. Your cardiologist may suggest the innovative, minimally invasive procedure called transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR).
TAVR is a procedure that replaces the aortic valve without surgery. Your surgeon will deliver a prosthetic valve to the heart with a catheter, guided by X-ray and ultrasound. This procedure is less invasive and typically associated with a shorter hospital stay.
TAVR is performed on a beating heart and does not require cardio-pulmonary bypass. The TAVR valve is made of bovine (cow) or porcine (pig) pericardium (biological tissue valve) and is usually supported with a metal stent. The compressed tissue heart valve is placed on the delivery catheter and is positioned directly inside the diseased aortic valve. Once in position, the valve is securely delivered in place.
TAVR can improve the lives of people with aortic stenosis if surgery isn’t an option due to underlying risks. In this case, TAVR can reduce the risk of death and may also relieve the signs and symptoms of aortic valve stenosis as well as improve overall health.
Innovation And Effectiveness In One Procedure
If you have severe aortic valve stenosis, one of the most common diseases affecting our aging population, the TAVR procedure might be an option for treatment. This innovative procedure is performed on a beating heart and does not require cardio-pulmonary bypass. Another major advantage? Patients can typically go home within just a few days. Watch this video to learn more.
Your TAVR Experience At Stamford Health
Our skilled team of cardiologists, cardiac surgeons, physician assistants, and nurses work collaboratively together and with your doctors to make the experience as comfortable and successful as possible.
- Your procedure will take place in our comfortable and modern cardiac catheterization lab for a streamlined experience.
- The TAVR procedure is performed through a small opening in the blood vessel of the leg to get up to the heart. Occasionally, TAVR can be performed through a small incision in your chest.
- Most procedures take about one hour.
- Most patients are up and walking about four hours after the procedure, and most are discharged from the hospital the next day.
- Most routine physical activities can be resumed once you go home.
- Follow-up appointments are scheduled for one week and one month post-surgery in the valve clinic.
Take A Look Inside Our Lab
Your exceptional, individualized care is provided in our state-of-the-art cardiac catheterization lab that is complete with special areas designed for comfort and privacy to enhance healing.-
Comfortable Waiting Areas
Stamford Health welcomes care partners and provides many spaces throughout the hospital where they can wait while a loved one is undergoing a procedure.
Meet Dr. Arzhang Fallahi
Dr. Fallahi is the director of interventional cardiology at Stamford Health and fellow of the American College of Cardiology. He completed his interventional training at New York University Medical Center, focusing on coronary and advanced peripheral vascular interventions.
He continued at NYU for an additional year of fellowship in structural heart disease and was the first graduate of the structural heart training program there. During this year he gained experience in transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), mitral clip, paravalvular leak closure, and PFO/ASD closure. He co-authored the chapter on TAVR in ACCSap, a review book published by the American College of Cardiology. Dr. Fallahi has six board certifications and a number of publications in cardiology and peripheral vascular disease.
MORE ABOUT DR. FALLAHI
Hear From Our Patients
READ JOHN B.’S STORY