Learn about TAVR:
Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) is an alternative procedure to open heart surgery for some patients suffering with aortic stenosis (AS), a progressive condition where the aortic valve of the heart hardens and narrows, impacting the heart’s ability to move blood from the heart to the brain and body. If left untreated over time, aortic stenosis leads to heart failure and death.
Also called transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI), this minimally invasive procedure enables the placement of a new balloon-expandable aortic heart valve into the body through the leg or chest by a catheter-based delivery system. As a balloon inflates, it expands the new valve into a secure place, replacing a patient’s diseased native aortic valve.
BayCare health system was the first to bring this revolutionary procedure to the Tampa Bay area in 2012. Learn more about our facilities’ heart valve and TAVR programs:
For those patients who cannot undergo open heart surgery for aortic valve disease and for whom medical therapies are no longer providing adequate treatment, undergoing a TAVR procedure can carry many benefits for patients with aortic stenosis including:
Though the TAVR procedure carries significant benefits for some patients, it is not suitable for every patient. Our expert teams evaluate each patient individually to determine if TAVR is the most appropriate treatment option.
All BayCare facilities have multidisciplinary teams of experts including cardiovascular and cardiothoracic surgeons, structural cardiologists, cardiac anesthesiologists, and other cardiac care specialists who work together to deliver a multifaceted level of cardiac care to patients with complex valve disorders. This team approach ensures patient-centered care that includes a comprehensive review of the patient’s individual case, resulting in a thorough assessment by a team of specialists in order to formulate a collaborative treatment plan.
Each individual patient is reviewed by a multidisciplinary team of physicians who will recommend if TAVR is the best treatment option for that patient based on his or her medical condition and other medical factors.
To see if you are a candidate for TAVR or to request more information on this procedure, please contact either of the BayCare Heart Valve Centers:
BayCare offers a variety of resources to help people throughout the Tampa Bay area learn about heart conditions and procedures. Learn more about our Heart and Vascular services. For a referral to one of our cardiac specialists, please call (855) 233-0888 or find a doctor near you.
You can also register for one of our classes or events in Tampa, Clearwater, St. Petersburg, Dunedin, Lutz, Plant City, New Port Richey, Riverview, Winter Haven or a surrounding area in Hillsborough, Pasco, Polk or Pinellas counties.
