We are in a very exciting phase of medicine and catheter-based therapies. TAVR (transcatheter aortic valve replacement) is a minimally invasive procedure which allows replacement of the diseased aortic valve through a catheter without stopping the heart, typically without any incisions on the chest.
Initially, this option was only available as an alternative to surgery for those who could not undergo open heart surgery or had high risk of poor outcomes with surgery.
Now, TAVR is not just an alternative to open heart surgery; it’s the mainstay of treatment of severe aortic stenosis.
TAVR has been shown time and time again, across the full spectrum of this deadly condition, to be comparable, and in certain circumstances, better than surgery.
Follow the links from CardioSmart, Ameircan College of Cardiology, to learn more about aortic stenosis and TAVR.
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