TAVR Aortic Valve Replacement for Aortic Stenosis Patients - Revised

When a patient develops severe aortic stenosis, doctors at the University of Michigan Frankel Cardiovascular Center consider aortic valve replacement through a minimally invasive procedure known as TAVR, or transcatheter aortic valve replacement. During the procedure, a collapsible replacement valve is delivered to the valve site through a catheter inserted into an artery in the groin or arm.
TAVR, originally developed for patients who were too sick for open heart surgery, has recently become available for moderate- and low-risk patients as well. Recovery time for a TAVR procedure is much shorter than for open heart surgery: 1 week versus 3 months. TAVR technology is also being used to restore the function of failing bioprosthetic valves and may be the best valve-replacement option for high-risk patients.
The U-M Frankel Cardiovascular Center has extensive experience in TAVR and is one of the only health systems in the region to offer the full spectrum of available valve options. Our multidisciplinary TAVR team includes cardiologists, interventional cardiologists, cardiac surgeons, anesthesiologists and nurse practitioners. With nearly 700 TAVRs having been performed to date, U-M leads the state in the number of these procedures and is one of the top programs in the country.
For more information, visit umcvc.org/TAVR or call 1-888-272-1082.