TAVR is a heart valve replacement procedure for patients with severe aortic valve stenosis who have
been determined to be high risk or too sick for open-heart surgery. This less invasive procedure allows
a prosthetic valve to be inserted into the diseased valve.
The TAVR procedure can be performed through three different approaches:
transfemoral
, through the leg artery,
transapical
, through the chest between the ribs, or
transaortic
, through the upper chest. Once in place, the heart valve is intended to function like a normal, healthy
valve with proper blood flow. The recovery time is less for patients who undergo a TAVR procedure and
usually go home from the hospital within 3-5 days.
For more information about TAVR or to see if you may be a candidate, please speak with your
cardiologist or call The James Family Heart Center’s patient navigator at (928) 771-5609.