Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) or transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) is a minimally invasive procedure used to treat aortic valve stenosis, a condition where the aortic valve is narrowed and doesnt open fully. During the procedure, a new valve is inserted without removing the old, damaged valve. The new valve is placed inside the diseased valve, and the surgery may be called a valve-within-valve procedure. The TAVR or TAVI procedures can be done through very small openings that leave all the chest bones in place, unlike valve replacement surgery that requires an open-heart procedure with a “sternotomy,” in which the chest is surgically separated (opened) for the procedure. The TAVR procedure is performed using one of two approaches, allowing the cardiologist or surgeon to choose which one provides the best and safest way to access the valve:

• Entering through the femoral artery (large artery in the groin), called the transfemoral approach, which does not require a surgical incision in the chest.
• Entering through a small incision in the chest, called the transapical approach, which is done between the ribs and requires a small surgical incision in the chest.

The procedure is available for people with symptomatic severe aortic stenosis at low, intermediate, or high risk for standard valve replacement surgery. The TAVR or TAVI procedure is performed through many small incisions instead of one large one, which helps to give the patient a better chance of recovering quicker after the surgery. However, as with any procedure, there are some risks associated with TAVR or TAVI, and the doctor will explain the risks to the patient in detail before they agree to the surgery.