TAVR at Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital

At Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital we have completed over 100 Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) procedures, a cutting-edge minimally-invasive procedure (usually percutaneous) to replace narrowed aortic valves that fail to properly open.

Aortic stenosis is commonly caused by the accumulation of calcium on the valve, causing it to harden and restricting its movement. Once a patient with severe aortic stenosis develops symptoms (I.E. shortness of breath), they will have decreased survival unless it is treated. Mortality from severe symptomatic aortic stenosis is approximately 25% at two year, and 50% at one years. Because of this, timely medical intervention is critical. Historically this was only done surgically by opening the chest, but with advancements in technology and medical practice, this can be done minimally invasively with a transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR).

Who Should get TAVR?

Aortic stenosis is the most common type of heart disease in the elderly.
More than 1 in 8 people over the age of 75 have moderate to severe valvular heart disease.

How does TAVR work?

Surgical valve replacement (SAVR) typically requires an open-heart procedure with a “sternotomy”, in which the chest is opened for the procedure. However, with the TAVR procedure, a hybrid team consisting of a highly trained interventional cardiologist and cardiothoracic surgeon gain access to the heart through the blood vessels.
Using wires and hollow tubes called catheters, the team guides a new valve across the opening of the diseased valve. The new valve is expanded into place, pushes the diseased valve aside, and uses it to secure itself in place. By restoring the structure and unrestricted movement of the valve, the function of the valve is restored.