umcvc.org/tavr:Over 300,000 patients are diagnosed with aortic stenosis each year, and 50 percent of those who display symptoms (which include shortness of breath, chest tightness or pain, or a feeling of faintness) will die within a year. Not everyone is a good candidate for open-heart surgery, however, which is the traditional treatment for aortic stenosis. These patients can benefit from a less invasive type of valve replacement in the heart called TAVR (Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement) or percutaneous valve replacement. The University of Michigan Cardiovascular Center offers two types of minimally invasive aortic valves: the Medtronic CoreValve (through enrollment in a medical trial) and the FDA-approved Edwards SAPIEN valve.
In this video, U-M CVC physicians Dr. Himanshu J. Patel, Dr. Michael Grossman, Dr. Stanley Chetcuti and Dr. G. Michael Deeb discuss TAVR technology, who is a candidate for TAVR, and how non-invasive aortic valve replacement, specifically the Edwards Valve, allows patients to leave the hospital after only a few days as compared to open-heart valve replacement, which involves a recovery period of several months.
