Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR)

TAVR is a minimally invasive alternative to open-heart surgery to replace the aortic valve in people with aortic valve stenosis. Aortic valve stenosis occurs when the heart's aortic valve narrows, preventing it from fully opening and obstructing blood flow from the heart. 

TAVR is much less invasive than open-heart surgery, which requires opening the patient's chest and stopping the heart using a heart-lung machine while the surgeon removes the old valve and sews in the new one. With TAVR, surgeons can replace the diseased aortic heart valve using a skinny, flexible tube (catheter) threaded through the leg, upper chest, or between the ribs. TAVR valve replacement doesn't require stopping the heart or, typically, any chest incisions. In most cases, TAVR results in a shorter hospital stay and a quicker return to normal activities.

Our Structural Heart Team will determine if TAVR is an appropriate treatment option for you during a consultative visit. Your cardiologist or primary care physician may refer you directly to Inova’s Structural Heart Disease Program by calling 571-472-4669 or complete our form.

Our experience, expertise and patient feedback have helped us become a national leader in TAVR procedures. Beginning in 2012, Inova Schar Heart and Vascular was the first cardiac center in Virginia to offer a revolutionary research study that demonstrated TAVR’s superior outcomes compared to traditional open heart surgery: 

  • We are one of the highest volume TAVR sites in the United States
  • We offer access to the most advanced TAVR valves and the option to participate in clinical trials
  • We streamline the evaluation process by conducting all required TAVR preparation, including testing and consultations. in one location
  • We offer an experienced, multidisciplinary team of board-certified heart specialists who collaborate at every step of patient care