Valve & Structural Heart Interventions

Advanced Structural Heart Interventions at Lahey

At Lahey Clinic, our cardiologists offer transcathether aortic valve replacement (TAVR) as a treatment for stenosis, or narrowing of the aortic heart valves. TAVR is a nonsurgical procedure best for patients who are ineligible for open-heart surgery as a treatment for aortic stenosis. Your care team will work with you to determine if you could benefit from TAVR.

What to Expect 

Cardiac surgeons collaborate closely with interventional cardiologists in a high-tech hybrid operating room, ensuring a high degree of safety and effectiveness. During your procedure, a doctor will insert an artificial valve into your heart by guiding a catheter (long, thin tube) through an artery, replacing the damaged valve. We may access the artery either through a small incision in your groin or your chest.

Eligibility Requirements

If we think you might benefit from TAVR, your care team will take the following steps:

• Echocardiogram: An ultrasound of the heart will show your care team how blood flows through your heart chambers and heart valves.
• Cardiac catheterization: During this procedure, your doctor inserts a catheter with contrast dye through your leg or wrist to assess the coronary arteries.
• CT angiography: CT scan of your heart, abdomen and pelvis is performed with contrast dye to measure the shape and size of your aortic valve and blood vessels.
• Physical exams: You'll be evaluated by a structural heart nurse practitioner, an interventional cardiologist and a cardiac surgeon.
• Frailty testing: This is a questionnaire and walking test to help measure your strength and quality of life.

Pushing the Bounds of Valve Replacement

The heart care team at Lahey has extensive experience using TAVR to replace stenotic aortic valves. As we continue to expand the quality and safety of TAVR through groundbreaking clinical trials and other research initiatives, we hope to someday use similar transcatheter approaches to address other issues, including mitral and pulmonary valve problems.