Aortic Valve Stenosis Treatment Option

Surgical Aortic Valve Replacement (SAVR)

The most common treatment for severe symptomatic aortic stenosis is replacement of the native diseased valve with an artificial valve, normally during open-heart surgery.

However, this treatment is not appropriate for all patients, especially those thought to be at high riskfor surgery. Around 30% of people with severe aortic stenosis are not suitable for open-heart surgery because of their advanced age, condition or other medical complications.^{1, 2}

For these patients other options include:

Balloon Aortic Valvuloplasty

A balloon attached to a catheter is placed in the aortic valve and then it is inflated to try to increase the calcified valve opening size and improve blood flow. It can provide temporary relief, but might not be an effective long-term treatment.

Medical Management

Medical management is an option for patients for whom surgery is risky or who don’t want surgery. It can provide temporary relief, but might not be an effective long-term treatment.

Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI)

This is a treatment option for patients who are at high-risk for standard valve replacement surgery. It is minimally invasive and is designed to repair the valve without removing the old, damaged valve and without open-heart surgery. An artificial heart valve is placed within the annulus of the diseased valve to restore normal functioning valve and blood flow.

To determine which treatment option is adequate for you, and to understand the benefits and risks of each procedure, please consult your doctor.