Transcatheter aortic valve replacement procedures in San Antonio
When the aortic valve begins to fail, surgical aortic valve replacement is often the only option for treatment. The heart surgeons at Methodist Healthcare are specially trained in cardiovascular surgery and offer both traditional and minimally invasive options for valve replacement in South Texas.
For more information about aortic valve replacement surgical options, call the Methodist Healthcare HealthLine at (210) 575-0355.
What is aortic stenosis?
Aortic valve replacement is a viable treatment for patients with severe aortic stenosis. Aortic stenosis is characterized by the narrowing of the heart's aortic valve. This narrowing effectively reduces or blocks blood flow on its way from the heart to the aorta, which supplies blood to the rest of the body.
Aortic stenosis causes your heart to begin working harder to continue pumping blood throughout your body. Over time, aortic stenosis can weaken your heart muscle and can cause the following complications:
- Cerebrovascular accident (stroke)
- Heart failure
- Heart arrhythmia
- Aortic regurgitation (aortic valve allows blood to leak back into the heart)
- Bleeding and/or blood clots
- Infection
Transcatheter aortic valve replacement
Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is a less invasive alternative to traditional heart valve replacement surgery for patients with severe aortic stenosis. TAVR does not require your surgeon to open the chest cavity, like they would with a traditional, open-valve replacement. This new approach allows for the shortest and most direct route to the diseased valve resulting in a shorter procedure—two hours versus four or five hours—and shorter recovery time.
TAVR allows our highly skilled surgical team at Methodist Healthcare to insert a new aortic valve into the body via the femoral artery or by using a small incision between the ribs on the left lower chest. Both of these methods allow our surgeons to insert the replacement aortic valve directly into the heart.
Signs you may need TAVR
If you experience chest pain, shortness of breath and dizziness over a period of time, you may be dealing with heart valve disease. If not treated, you can experience heart failure. TAVR can provide relief to heart disease and ultimately increase overall health.
Candidates for TAVR
Since TAVR is much less stressful than open-heart valve replacement, it is an exciting new option for older or non-operative patients who are not good candidates for more invasive surgery. Benefits of TAVR include healthier heart outcomes and better quality of life for patients who previously had no other treatment options.
