TAVI

Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) is a new percutaneous (performed through the skin) treatment for aortic stenosis which involves inserting an artificial aortic heart valve without open-heart surgery.

The transcatheter aortic valve consists of a bovine (from the cow) or porcine (from the pig) heart valve that is fixed on a metal frame. The valve will be passed through a catheter in the groin and placed within the diseased aortic valve. The transcatheter aortic valve is then expanded to fit within the diseased valve. The diseased aortic valve will not be cut or removed. The new valve will start to function immediately. For patients whose groin (femoral) arteries are too small to accommodate the new valve, we often introduce the trans-catheter valve between the ribs, across the apex of the heart – this is called a transapical approach.

In most cases the patient is usually up and about the next day. Often, a patient is home within three to four days.

TAVI has revolutionised our ability to treat patients who are at increased risk for open surgery; those who are too old or too sick or too frail but whose aortic valve becomes so narrow it is necessary to replace it.

It provides new options to the growing number of elderly patients and patients who have had previous cardiac surgery, poor lung function or other issues that may preclude them from having traditional open surgery safely.

 

 

 

TRANSCATHETER AORTIC VALVE IMPLANTATION VIA TRANSFEMORAL (GROIN ARTERY) APPROACH

EDWARDS SAPIEN TRANSCATHETER HEART VALVE WITH RETROFLEX3 TRANSFEMORAL DELIVERY SYSTEM

 

TRANSCATHETER AORTIC VALVE IMPLANTATION VIA TRANSAPICAL (LEFT CHEST) APPROACH

EDWARDS SAPIEN TRANSCATHETER HEART VALVE WITH ASCENDRA TRANSAPICAL DELIVERY SYSTEM