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Treatment Options
About your heart
The heart is a vital organ that pumps oxygen-rich blood to all parts of the body.1 A healthy heart beats around 100,000 times a day. The heart has four chambers through which blood is pumped with the help of four heart valves. The valves open when the heart pumps to allow blood to flow through.2 They close quickly between heartbeats to make sure blood does not flow backwards.2
During the procedure, the doctor will make a small cut in either the groin (1), neck (2) or in a space between your ribs (3).2
The doctor will then guide a thin, flexible tube (called a catheter) containing the transcatheter heart valve through the incision, into an artery and to the diseased aortic valve.2
The transcatheter heart valve will then be placed in the disease valve and begin working immediately. Your doctor will then remove the tube and close the incision.2
The procedure takes approximately 1–2 hours. Your treatment team will talk with you about whether you should have a mild sedative or a general anaesthetic for the procedure.2
A valve made from the heart tissue of a pig
The valve tissue is held by a Nitinol (nickel-titanium) metal frame
Three valve leaflets control the flow of blood like your natural valve
TAVI is an effective treatment for aortic stenosis. You may start to feel better soon after your procedure because your heart valve is now working properly. Some people may take a little longer to feel better.3
Many TAVI patients report benefits like:3
Please speak to your doctor about any potential risks associated with this procedure that may apply to you.
Some patients may have a disease that results in more calcium in their blood. This may cause early wear.
The transcatheter heart valve is only for certain patients. This includes patients with severe AS or failing surgical valves that:
At some point the transcatheter heart valve may need to be replaced. How long it lasts varies from patient to patient. Keep appointments with your doctor. Follow all care instructions to ensure the best possible results.
Your doctor will check the valve during the regular follow-up visits.
Discuss this with your doctor and they can help advise you what activities you can do.
If you need an MRI, tell your doctor you have a transcatheter heart valve. Not doing so could result in injury or death.
References:
1. Mayo Clinic. Aortic stenosis. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/aortic-stenosis/symptoms-causes/syc-20353139. [Accessed December 2021].
2. Mayo Clinic.Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). Available at: https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/transcatheter-aortic-valve-replacement/about/pac20384698#:~:text=Transcatheter%20aortic%20valve%20replacement%20(TAVR)%20is%20a%20minimally%20invasive%20procedure,guide%20it%20to%20the%20heart. [Accessed January 2022].
3. Baron SJ et al. JAMA Cardiol 2017; 2(8):837–45. 4. Mayo Clinic. Aortic valve repair and aortic valve replacement. Available at: https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/aortic-valve-repair-aortic-valve-replacement/about/pac-20385093 [Accessed January 2022].
