Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI) or Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) is an ultra-modern minimally invasive treatment option for aortic stenosis. A critical milestone in cardiovascular medicine, TAVI has now become the treatment of choice for patients who are at high risk for conventional open-heart surgery as well as a viable alternative among intermediate and low-surgical risk patients.

The procedure involves insertion of a catheter to place a replacement valve via a blood vessel into the heart. This is done by making a small incision in the groin or chest without removing the damaged valve. The replacement valve is fixed within the old, defective valve, thus negating the need for an open-heart procedure.

What are the known benefits of TAVI?

Some of the key benefits include:

Minimally Invasive Procedure, (so, no need for long incision thoracotomy)
Can be done in patient who are very high risk or in operable candidates for open-heart surgery due to factors like very old age , Poor general health and other medical conditions (like severe COPD etc)
Shorter recovery time and lesser pain or discomfort than Surgical AVR
Lower Infection Risk

What are the known risks of TAVI?

Some common complications can include:

May need Pacemaker implantation post operatively
Many case paravalvular leak that may require additional intervention
Neurological complication / stroke can occur
Acute kidney injury may happen
Puncture site bleeding may sensitive cause serious problems

How does one recover after TAVI?

Cardiac rehabilitation: This entails a personalized exercise regimen, education on heart care and constant monitoring by an expert nurse, and is a key component of recovery after TAVI
Medicines: The patient is prescribed medicines to help ward off blood clots and manage pain or inflammation post-procedure
Follow-up: Regular consultations with your cardiac specialist after the procedure is extremely important to ensure you are on the right track to recovery

Recovery time varies from patient to patient. While some could feel well enough to jump back into active life quite soon after the procedure, others might need some more time to regain stamina and full fitness. Generally, the recovery process takes six to 10 weeks