Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) procedures in San Antonio
When the aortic valve begins to fail, surgical aortic valve replacement is often the only option for treatment.
The heart surgeons at Methodist Healthcare are specially trained in cardiovascular surgery, offering both traditional and minimally invasive options for valve replacement. As you age, your aortic valve can narrow. This condition, called aortic stenosis, can cause the heart to work harder to get the blood through, creating a shortage of blood to your organs. When this happens, TAVR may be the most viable treatment option.
What is aortic stenosis
Aortic valve replacement is a viable treatment for severe aortic stenosis. The condition is characterized by the narrowing of the heart's aortic valve, which effectively reduces or blocks blood flow on its way from the heart to the aorta. This, in turn, supplies blood to the rest of the body.
Aortic stenosis causes your heart to begin working harder to continue pumping blood throughout your body. Over time, aortic stenosis can weaken your heart muscle and can cause the following complications:
- Aortic regurgitation
- Bleeding and/or blood clots
- Heart arrhythmia
- Heart failure
- Infection
- Stroke
Transcatheter aortic valve replacement
Benefits of TAVR
As TAVR is considered a less invasive approach, there are many benefits to this treatment option compared to other methods, including:
- Faster recovery time
- Less risk of infection
- Shorter hospital stays
- Less pain than traditional surgery
- Healthier heart outcomes and better quality of life for patients who previously had no other treatment options
Candidates for TAVR
Aortic valve replacement is recommended if you are experiencing signs of severe aortic stenosis, including chest pain, shortness of breath and dizziness over a period of time. If left untreated, patients with severe aortic stenosis have a risk of experiencing heart failure.
Since TAVR is considered less stressful on the body than open-heart valve replacement, it is an exciting new option for older or non-operative patients who are not good candidates for more invasive surgery.
As with any procedure, there are risks with TAVR that should be discussed with your physician. To find out if TAVR is an option for you, talk to one of our specialists.
TAVR recovery
After a TAVR procedure at our facility, you can expect to be in the hospital for about three to five days for recovery. During this time, our experienced inpatient cardiac rehabilitation team will begin working with you to support your return to your daily activities. Your TAVR team will conduct a thorough assessment and give you specific follow-up instructions regarding your care plan, which may often include:
- Follow-up phone calls from your TAVR hospital care team a few days after discharge to check on your symptoms, medications and health.
- Subsequent office visit with your TAVR doctor within 30 days of the procedure. This visit will likely involve an echocardiogram to check your new valve. Other tests may also be ordered, depending on your progress.