Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR)

During transcatheter aortic valve replacement, a cardiac surgeon and interventional cardiologist use imaging equipment to evaluate the arteries. Your cardiac specialist then decides which entry point on the body is the best and safest way to access the aortic valve.

A catheter with a stented valve on the end is guided into the heart through a small incision in one of the following locations:

• Upper leg or groin (transfemoral approach)
• Upper Chest (transaortic approach)
• Chest between the ribs (transapical approach)

The valve is then deployed. The catheter is then removed. Imaging equipment helps confirm that the new valve is working properly before the catheter is removed and the access sites are closed.

Because TAVR is a minimally invasive technique, patients experience a quicker recovery than they would from a traditional, open-heart valve replacement. The entire procedure, performed under local and/or general anesthesia, takes 90 minutes while open heart surgery typically takes four to six hours, followed by a two to three month recovery period. With TAVR, patients resume daily living quickly with a high quality of life.

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement is a relatively new procedure reserved for people who:

• Are not candidates for open heart surgery
• Have medical conditions that make open heart surgery impossible or excessively risky
• Have severe aortic valve stenosis

Learn more about aortic valve repair and replacement options.

The Heart & Vascular Center is located in the Shapiro Cardiovascular Center, across the street from BWH's main 75 Francis Street entrance. The Heart & Vascular Center brings together the full range of services in one location, fostering seamless and coordinated care for all cardiovascular patients.

Prior to surgery, you will be scheduled for a visit to the Watkins Clinic in the Shapiro Cardiovascular Center for preoperative information and tests.

The day of surgery, your care will be provided by surgeons, anesthesiologists and nurses who specialize in aortic valve disease. The Heart & Vascular Center is home to one of the most advanced hybrid operating rooms in the country. After surgery, you will recover in the post-surgical care unit where you will receive comprehensive care by an experienced surgical and nursing staff.

During your surgery, family and friends can wait in the Shapiro Family Center where staff members will provide surgery updates.

In addition to our cardiac surgeons and interventional cardiologists, patients also benefit from the teamwork of medical cardiologists, cardiovascular imaging experts and radiologists, and anesthesiologists, all experts in cardiovascular disease. They work alongside nurses, physician assistants, physical therapists, dietitians and social workers to achieve outstanding outcomes for our patients.

• Our Heart and Vascular Surgeons
• Make a Heart and Vascular Appointment
• Heart and Vascular Surgery Locations

Learn more about heart valve repair and replacement surgery in our health library.

Visit the Kessler Health Education Library in the Bretholtz Center for Patients and Families.

Access a complete directory of patient and family services.

Learn about the Watkins Clinic in the Shapiro Center.

Download Cardiac Surgery: A Guide for Patients in English or Spanish.