Description

TAVI, or transcatheter aortic valve implantation, is a minimally-invasive procedure that replaces a faulty aortic valve with a new one. It's also known as TAVR, which stands for transcatheter aortic valve replacement. What it's used for TAVI is used to treat severe aortic valve stenosis, which is when the aortic valve doesn't open fully. It's often used for patients who are considered high surgical risk or inoperable. How it's performed? A catheter is inserted into a blood vessel in the chest or upper leg. The catheter is used to guide a replacement valve over the top of the old valve. A balloon on the tip of the catheter is inflated to widen the valve opening. The catheter is removed, and the replacement valve is compressed and placed on the tip of another catheter. The new valve is expanded using a balloon inflated underneath it. Since it is a minimally invasive procedure, patients generally go home the next day after the procedure.