Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR)

What is aortic stenosis?

Aortic stenosis affects many people over the age of 65. It occurs when calcium buildup causes narrowing of your heart’s aortic valve and restricts normal blood flow to your body.

Treating aortic stenosis

Medication cannot slow the progression of aortic stenosis or reverse it. If you have aortic stenosis, the only effective treatment is aortic valve replacement.

How does TAVR treat aortic stenosis?

TAVR is a minimally invasive catheter-based procedure to replace the aortic valve. Your doctor may recommend TAVR if you’re a high-risk patient, or if you’re too frail or sick to have traditional open-heart surgery. With TAVR, there’s no need to stop your heart or use a heart-lung machine for breathing.

TAVR is performed through tiny incisions. Your doctor uses imaging technology and a thin tube called a catheter to carry the new valve through your artery and place it in the diseased valve while your heart continues to beat. You’ll receive the most up-to-date heart valve design at ProHealth to help reduce leakage of blood back into the heart.

Advanced hybrid operating room

Look to our experienced ProHealth team to replace your diseased aortic heart valve in our high-tech hybrid operating room at ProHealth Waukesha Memorial Hospital. Your heart care team uses advanced catheterization imaging equipment to provide a safe, efficient procedure.

Benefits of TAVR

Stay close to home and get treatment at a local hospital you know and trust. Smaller incisions with the TAVR minimally invasive procedure mean you may experience:

• Better outcomes
• Easier and faster recovery compared to open-heart surgery
• Less time in the operating room
• Lower risk of stroke

Your ProHealth TAVR team

Your TAVR care team at ProHealth includes:

• Anesthesiologists
• Catheterization lab staff
• Cardiothoracic surgeons
• Echocardiographers
• Interventional cardiologists
• Imaging specialists
• Surgical staff

Your valve program coordinator will help you  schedule appointments, obtain medical records and answer questions about ProHealth services.