U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Here’s how you know
Here’s how you know

**Official websites use .gov**
A **.gov** website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

**Secure .gov websites use HTTPS**
A **lock** ( A locked padlock) or **https://** means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.
Search Query:
			MAIN MENU

																				
              Health Topics
								All Health Topics A-Z
					
													
		

		Asthma


				

															Heart-Healthy Living


				

															High Blood Pressure


				

															Sickle Cell Disease


				

															Sleep Apnea


				

															Information & Resources on COVID-19
																				
              Health Education
								Education Programs and Initiatives
					
													
		

		The Heart Truth®


				

															Learn More Breathe Better®


				

															Blood Diseases and Disorders Education Program


				

															Publications and Resources
																				
              The Science
								Research Focus Areas
					
													
		

		Blood Disorders and Blood Safety


				

															Sleep Science and Sleep Disorders


				

															Lung Diseases


				

															Health Disparities and Inequities


				

															Heart and Vascular Diseases


				

															Precision Medicine Activities


				

															Obesity, Nutrition, and Physical Activity


				

															Population and Epidemiology Studies


				

															Women’s Health


				

															Research Topics


				

															Clinical Trials


				

															All Science A-Z
																				
              Grants and Training
								Grants and Training Home


				

															Policies and Guidelines


				

															Funding Opportunities and Contacts


				

															Training and Career Development
																				
              News and Events
								News and Events Home
					
													
		

		Email Alerts


				

															All News
					
													
		

		NHLBI News


				

															NHLBI in the Press


				

															Research Features


				

															All Events
					
													
		

		Past Events


				

															Upcoming Events
																				
              About NHLBI
								About NHLBI Home
					
													
		

		Mission and Strategic Vision


				

															Leadership


				

															Divisions, Offices and Centers


				

															Advisory Committees


				

															Budget and Legislative Information


				

															Jobs and Working at the NHLBI


				

															Contact and FAQs


				

															NIH Sleep Research Plan
						
						HOME
		Search Text: Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR)
Home< Back ToHealth TopicsTranscatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR)

0
  Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR)
Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR)Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR)

Language switcherEnglishEspañol
IN THIS ARTICLE
              View More
        View Less
What is transcatheter aortic valve replacement?

            Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (replacement)

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), also known as TAVR or transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI), is a procedure to treat aortic stenosis, a narrowing of the aortic valve. The narrowing blocks the flow of blood to your body and forces your heart to work harder. This causes symptoms such as chest pain and shortness of breath.

TAVR replaces an aortic valve that is not working properly or is diseased with an aortic valve made from animal tissue. The TAVR procedure is minimally invasive, requiring only a small cut in the skin. It does not require open-heart surgery.

The aortic valve is one of four valves that control blood flow in the heart. The aortic valve specifically controls the blood that runs from the heart through your aorta and to the rest of the body. Over time or because of a congenital heart defect, you can develop aortic stenosis, a type of heart valve disease. Your healthcare provider may explain risks and benefits of both TAVR and open-heart surgery. This information will help you decide which one is better for your specific needs.

          
How it works

            There are several ways your doctor can perform TAVR, depending on your health and the health of your blood vessels.

A TAVR using the **femoral artery**, a blood vessel in your groin or thigh, is the most common. Your doctor guides a tube with the replacement valve through the femoral artery to the heart.
	**Blood vessels in the chest** may be used by the doctor to guide the tube to your heart if your femoral artery is too small or damaged. This approach is called transapical access.
	**Stomach area** **blood vessels** may be used for TAVR if a patient’s leg arteries are too small or diseased for a more standard approach. NHLBI researchers developed this approach, called transcaval access, to make TAVR available to high-risk patients. It is less common. The doctor makes holes in both the vena cava, a major veins in your stomach area, and the nearby aorta to feed the tube with the replacement valve first through the vein and then through the aorta to the heart. You may be able to stay awake during this procedure. This type of TAVR approach may benefit women, who often have smaller blood vessels than men.
	Accessing the heart from the **vessel under the clavicle, or** **collar bone,** may be an option if you have had heart surgery before or if you have another condition that makes it difficult to access other parts of the chest.
	Your doctor may use the **carotid artery** **in the neck** to feed the tube to the heart — called transcarotid access. This type of procedure is rare but may be used when other options will not work.
	Another rare location is through the **septum,** the wall of tissue that separates the right and left atria of the heart. Your doctor reaches the damaged valve by guiding the tube through a blood vessel from your thigh to the heart.New approaches to TAVR are making the procedure available to more people.

As with any medical procedure, there are certain risks associated with a TAVR procedure. In some patients, a replacement valve can push aside an old valve flap, blocking blood flow to the heart. The result — coronary artery obstruction — is a rare but life-threatening complication of TAVR. NHLBI researchers have invented a technique called the BASILICA procedure to prevent it. Learn about NHLBI's TAVR research.

Illustration of the BASILICA procedure.***Illustration of the BASILICA procedure.** (A) A wire is guided through the existing valve (B) the valve flap is retrieved (C)The valve flap is cut with the electrified wire. (D) The valve flap splays after the new valve in place, blood can flow freely to the coronary artery. CREDIT: Khan, J.M., et al. J Am Coll Cardiol. Int. 2018*

          
What to expect during the procedure

            Cardiologists, or doctors who specialize in the heart, typically perform TAVR in a hospital. Before TAVR, your healthcare providers will measure the valve opening, then give you medicines that relax you or put you to sleep, as well as medicines to prevent dangerous blood clot.

During the procedure, your doctor will guide a thin, flexible tube called a catheter to your heart through blood vessels they can access from your groin or thigh, stomach area, chest, neck, or collar bone. Inside the catheter is a folded replacement valve, which is placed securely within the old valve. Once your doctor is sure the new valve has been placed correctly, they will check for leaks and possible complications, such as a problem in the heart’s electrical signaling.

          
What to expect after the procedure

            After a TAVR procedure, your hospital stay may be just a few days depending on the approach used. You may be able to return to daily activities, such as exercising and driving, in just a few weeks.

However, as with any procedure involving the heart and blood vessels, TAVR carries some risks both during and after surgery, including:

Damage and bleeding where the catheters were inserted
	Injury to the kidneys or the heart
	Leaking in the new valve because it does not fit well
	Need for a permanent pacemaker due to damage to the heart’s electrical signaling during the procedure
	StrokeYou may get medicine to prevent infection or abnormal blood clots. About a month after the procedure, your provider will do tests to check how well the valve is working and how well you are healing. You may need follow-up visits every year to make sure the valve continues working as it should.
  Last updated on March 24, 2022 Back To Top Link
  

        

        Back to top
  Web Policies & Notices
  

        

              Accessibility
                      No FEAR Act Data
                      Privacy Policy
                      Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)
                      HHS Vulnerability Disclosure
    
          Related Government Websites
  

        

              Health and Human Services
                      National Institutes of Health
                      Office of the Inspector General
                      USA.gov
    
          Stay Connected
    
      
            chat bubblesLive ChatLive Chat with us, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. EST.envelopeGet Email AlertsReceive automatic alerts about NHLBI related news and highlights from across the Institute.
  Footer Bottom
  

        



Contact Us
                            Site Index
                            Jobs