Which minimally invasive procedure allows an Interventional Cardiologist to replace a diseased aortic valve without traditional open-heart surgery?
Answer
TAVR (Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement)
TAVR, standing for Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement, is a specific, highly advanced intervention performed by interventional cardiologists. This technique utilizes catheter access to deliver and deploy a new prosthetic aortic valve directly into the diseased native valve site. The critical benefit of TAVR is that it achieves the necessary valve replacement—a significant structural repair—without requiring the large incision and heart-lung bypass associated with traditional open-heart surgical replacement, making it particularly beneficial for older or higher-risk patients.
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