Valve-in-Valve Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (ViV TAVR)
If you had surgery to replace your heart’s narrowed aortic valve, your surgeon may have given you a valve made of donor tissue. This type of valve has advantages over mechanical devices, but it can wear down over time. If your tissue valve no longer works as it should, your doctor may recommend replacing it during a nonsurgical procedure called ViV TAVR.
What’s ViV TAVR?
ViV TAVR is a minimally invasive way to replace your prosthetic aortic valve. It doesn’t make an incision in your chest, so you’ll recover sooner than you did after surgical valve replacement. ViV TAVR also carries a lower risk of complications (side effects). So, you may qualify for ViV TAVR even if you’re not a candidate for another surgical heart procedure.
What to Expect
You’ll lie on a table while an interventional cardiologist makes a tiny incision over an artery in your upper thigh or wrist. The doctor inserts a thin, flexible tube called a catheter that carries a new valve up to your heart. The physician places the new valve over the old one and then withdraws the catheter from your artery. The new valve’s leaflets fully open and close, keeping blood flowing in the right direction.
Experienced Cardiologists
ViV TAVR is more complex than TAVR on the heart valve a person is born with. That’s why you need a team experienced in ViV TAVR—like the interventional cardiologists at the Adventist HealthCare Heart & Vascular Institute at White Oak Medical Center.
You can trust us for the skills and expertise needed to keep you safe and ensure your best outcome.
Recovery & Rehabilitation
You’ll stay in the hospital for one or two days while your doctor and nurses monitor your health to make sure you heal well. When you’re ready to leave, you’ll receive instructions on self- care, as well as a referral for home health services, if necessary. You’ll make a follow-up appointment with your doctor, who may recommend cardiac rehabilitation to help you safely regain strength and endurance.
