TAVI - Trascatheter Aortic Valve Implantation

TAVI (Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation) is a minimally invasive procedure used to treat aortic valve stenosis, a condition in which the heart valve that regulates blood flow from the heart to the aorta becomes stiff and narrowed, limiting proper blood flow.

This condition can cause symptoms such as:

Fatigue
Shortness of breath
Chest pain (angina)
Fainting (syncope)
Reduced ability to perform daily activities

TAVI allows doctors to replace the diseased valve without open-heart surgery, and is especially suitable for older patients or those considered at high surgical risk.

How the procedure is performed

The procedure takes place in a hospital, in a catheterization lab or hybrid operating room:

Local or general anesthesia is administered depending on clinical needs.
The doctor inserts a catheter (thin, flexible tube) into an artery, most commonly through:
- The groin (femoral artery) – the most frequent approach, or
- Alternative access sites in selected cases (e.g., subclavian artery or directly through the heart apex).
The biological replacement valve is advanced through the catheter up to the heart.
The new valve is positioned inside the diseased valve, which is pushed aside, and then expanded, restoring proper blood flow.
The valve begins functioning immediately after deployment.

Procedure duration: approximately 60–90 minutes.

After the procedure

Recovery is much faster than with traditional open-heart surgery
Many patients can walk as early as the following day
Average hospital stay is 2–5 days
Symptoms (such as fatigue and shortness of breath) often improve significantly within a short time
Follow-up visits and echocardiograms are scheduled to monitor the valve over time

Benefits of TAVI

-No surgical opening of the chest
-Less invasive than traditional valve surgery
-Reduced post-operative pain
-Faster recovery and discharge from hospital
-Significant improvement in quality of life for most patients

Who is TAVI for?

TAVI is recommended for:

Patients with severe symptomatic aortic stenosis
Patients at high or intermediate surgical risk
In many cases, also in low-risk patients, after evaluation by a specialist Heart Team (clinical cardiologist, interventional cardiologist, cardiac surgeon, anesthesiologist)