University of Minnesota Health Heart Care specialists began performing the TAVR procedure in 2012. TAVR is an alternative to open-heart valve replacement surgery for high- and intermediate-risk patients. For appropriate low-risk patients, TAVR may be an option. At the University of Minnesota Health Heart Care, a team of specialists will get to know you and your medical history before a TAVR is performed. During the procedure itself, a heart valve is placed on a catheter and advanced through an incision in your leg into an artery that carries it to your heart. This is called a transfemoral procedure. Through an artery, a valve can be made to fit within a small catheter and then correctly placed to become a new fully functional aortic valve. The TAVR procedure typically provides immediate relief from the aortic stenosis symptoms and a much shorter recovery time than open heart surgery.