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.
Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR)
If you are a high- or intermediate-risk patient with aortic stenosis, your heart valve may be stiff or thick, restricting the blood flow from your heart. You may be a candidate for a minimally invasive procedure called a transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). In this procedure, a new valve is advanced to your heart with a catheter and mounted on a stent frame within the diseased valve, eliminating your need for open heart surgery. Low-risk patients with aortic stenosis also may be eligible to participate in TAVR clinical trials.
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Our Care Team
Mudassar Ahmed, MD
Interventional Cardiologist
Bilal S. Ali, MD, FACC
Cardiologist
Timinder Biring, MD
Cardiologist, Vascular Medicine Specialist
Gregory Helmer, MD
Interventional Cardiologist
Stephen Huddleston, MD, PhD
Cardiothoracic Surgeon
Sonia Jain, MD, MBBS
Cardiologist
Abdi Jama, MD, FACC, RPVI
Cardiologist, Vascular Medicine Specialist
Ranjit John, MD
Cardiovascular Surgeon
Ryan Knoper, MD
Cardiothoracic Surgeon
Ganesh Raveendran, MD
Interventional Cardiologist
Andrew W. Shaffer, MD, MS
Cardiothoracic Surgeon
Sara J. Shumway, MD
Cardiovascular Surgeon
Matthew R. Soule, MD
Cardiothoracic Surgeon
Rochus Voeller, MD
Cardiothoracic Surgeon
Joyce Wahr, MD
Anesthesiologist
Demetris Yannopoulos, MD
Interventional Cardiologist