The Frances Langford Heart Center at Martin Health in Stuart now offers a treatment option for patients with severe aortic stenosis who are not well enough to undergo traditional open heart surgery. Transcatheter aortic valve replacement, or TAVR, is a minimally invasive surgery which requires only a small incision in the leg or left chest wall. It is used to treat aortic stenosis, a condition that affects the function of the aortic valve inside the heart and is considered for patients who are at high or intermediate risk for open-heart surgery.
Aortic stenosis impedes the delivery of blood to the body through the aorta and makes the heart work harder. Severe aortic stenosis in the elderly is sometimes caused by the build-up of calcium on the aortic valve. When aortic stenosis is left untreated, it can eventually result in further complications and fatalities.
“An estimated 30 percent of patients with this condition are ineligible for surgery, because of either ill health or old age,” said Venu Jasti, M.D., one of three interventional cardiologists on the TAVR team at the Frances Langford Heart Center.
With TAVR, the diseased aortic valve can be replaced without traditional open-chest surgery. Instead, a balloon-expandable heart valve is placed into the body with a catheter.
“We run a catheter into the patient’s groin and move it up the femoral artery toward the heart and the aortic valve,” said Kunal Chaudhry, M.D., interventional cardiologist. “The new valve is crimped onto the catheter, guided through to the native aorta valve , and then expanded and set into place.”
Most patients will leave the hospital within 3 to 5 days following the procedure and can resume all normal activities within 10 days.
“TAVR prevents the need for cardiopulmonary bypass,” said Stephen McIntyre, M.D., interventional cardiologist. “This procedure has dramatically improved the survival chances of those with aortic stenosis. “
Studies indicate that patients who undergo TAVR are expected to have longer lifespans and enjoy a higher quality of life than those who manage aortic stenosis via medication.
