Thousands of Americans have faulty heart valves. Until recently, many could not get new valves because they were too high-risk for open heart valve replacement surgery.
But thanks to an innovative nonsurgical option called transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), many more people can now live symptom-free and on their terms.
What Is Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR)?
TAVR is an FDA-approved treatment for people with severe aortic valve stenosis, or narrowing of the aortic valve. The valves are the heart’s exit doors—leaflets (flaps) open and close to keep blood flowing out in the right direction. The aortic valve is the valve between your heart and the blood vessel (aorta) that carries blood to your body.
TAVR replaces your faulty aortic valve with a new valve made from animal tissue—without open heart surgery. Doctors access your heart by threading a tube (catheter) through an artery, up to the faulty valve. TAVR is also known as TAVI (transcatheter aortic valve implantation).
TAVR: The Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health Advantage
With TAVR, experience matters. And physicians at our Heart & Vascular Institute are among the most experienced in the area.
Our doctors were among the first in the region to offer TAVR procedures. And they now perform about 150 TAVR procedures each year.
You can also count on:
- Multidisciplinary collaboration: We extensively plan and discuss all TAVR cases in our weekly TAVR conference. During these meetings, heart surgeons, interventional cardiologists and imaging experts come together to plan the best strategy for your care. Then, the collaboration continues during your procedure—with heart surgeons on hand to assist your interventional cardiologist in case you need surgery.
- Sophisticated imaging tools: We use the latest heart imaging technology to diagnose and treat aortic valve stenosis. Our advanced echo machines produce high-quality, 3D echocardiograms of your heart. They also have special strain imaging technology, which measures heart function more accurately than traditional echocardiogram. And our cardiac CT scans make TAVR procedures possible, taking precise valve measurements in less than a second. Scans are shorter, safer and more comfortable than scans done elsewhere.
- Care coordination: Our TAVR coordinators help make the process easier for you. They coordinate your pre-procedure appointments, so you don’t have to. They also track you throughout the process, so you get the care you need when you need it.
- Personalized care: We start getting to know you and your heart before your first visit by reviewing your records and scans. This early review ensures your doctor has the time to get to the root of your concerns at your consultation. These focused visits help your doctor individualize your treatment plan so it’s more effective for your goals.
- Hybrid OR: Lancaster General Hospital is equipped with one of the only state-of-the-art hybrid operating rooms (OR) in Lancaster County. Hybrid ORs provide the equipment, environment and space needed for TAVR procedures, which can involve three to four physicians working together at one time. In this OR, cardiologists and vascular and cardiac surgeons can perform procedures that require both surgical and interventional cardiology expertise.
TAVR: What to Expect
TAVR at Penn Medicine Lancaster General Hospital follows these steps:
1. Initial Consultation
We help you understand the aortic valve disease process, your treatment options and what to expect. We also address your questions and concerns so you can decide if TAVR is right for you.
During this visit, you learn:
- What aortic stenosis is and how it affects you as it progresses
- What preoperative tests and imaging you need before a transcatheter aortic valve replacement
- How we decide if TAVR is best for you
- TAVR’s potential benefits and risks, timeline and recovery
- Your other treatment options
If you decide you want to undergo a TAVR procedure, our TAVR coordinators take it from there. They schedule the heart imaging and tests you need.
2. TAVR Procedure
For your comfort, we give you sedation for TAVR, or TAVI. Then, your doctor:
- Accesses the artery in the groin.
- Puts a catheter into a blood vessel in the groin and moves it through the blood vessel into the heart.
- Puts the artificial valve inside the catheter.
- Moves the new valve into the damaged aortic valve, so it can expand and take its place.
3. TAVR Recovery
Most people spend one to three days in the hospital after their procedure. You should be able to return to your normal activities in a week or so. To aid your recovery and optimize your results, we offer a comprehensive cardiac rehab program.
Make an Appointment
To schedule a TAVR consultation, call 717-544-8300.