Hello Davej, I was diagnosed with severe aortic stenosis in the fall of 2018 and had a TAVR on December 26, 2018. It was a very comfortable procedure. I did not have an incision in the sternum. The doctors approached my aorta through the groin on both sides. As the Dr. said, "It's a two-man operation." I was mildly sedated throughout the procedure then overnight in St. Mary's in Rochester, going home the next morning around 10 a.m. I have felt so much better. I had an echocardiogram just this past June 16 and the TAVR is working perfectly. Be sure to discuss the groin approach instead of open heart. All the best!

Just an FYI – When I worked as RN, I took care of many TAVR patients in recovery room. They did well and much nicer than a huge surgery! I agree with davej! Do this now, who knows what might be available if need arises again! Medical innovations go by leaps and bounds. I have been retired x 6 years and we did them for a few years then, so there should be good data available on lasting effects/success/any long term complications?!

Can I ask how old you are because I'm 59 doctors are reluctant because I'm so young and there feeling the will have to open my heart up to replace the TAVR when it goes back thanks dave

@davej, what options do your surgeons offer instead of TAVR given your young age?

No options were given told me I'm to young to have anything else done at 59 they do not to have open heart surgery when I'm In late 60s or 70s have open heart surgery now and never have a another valve problem again or at least with that valve that they put a mechanical valve in

Hi this is davej and I'm wondering why any surgeon would perform open heart surgery with the TAVR invention. If the TAVR valve lasts 10 to 15 years modern medicine advances could come with new invention that would stop all heart problems in the future thanks for any and all replies

As a retired RN who took care of TAVR patients, my thinking is along your lines, Davej. I would seek out at least two more opinions!

My wife has new tavor (81 years old with no previous heart problems).
They put her on 81 mg aspirin per day to prevent clotting. After 8 months she started having chest pains and throwing up and they thought it was heart problems. Low and behold and 165K dollars later it was the last thing they looked at which was her stomach. because they put her on 81mg aspirin for clots it caused her to have esophageal and stomach erosion problems. The question is was it necessary to put her on 81gm aspirin at all? She had no history of heart problems, strokes, attacks. etc. Now they want to change the aspirin to enteric aspirin with anti-acid drugs which have their own drawbacks. I read that the enteric can still dissolve somewhat in the stomach or if not will dissolve in the small intestine where it still can cause erosions and irritation of the small intestines and more gut problems. Why are they assuming that she will have blood clots at all and thereby cause all these drug side affect problems and the hell she has gone through because of 81g of aspirin. And they never follow up on what is going on with the aspirin which seems to cause a lot of people problems and the jury is still out on the use of 81g aspirin even after 20 years. Anyone ever gone through this?

Hi @yongy and welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect.
@wisco50 and @davej have discussed TAVR here in this conversation so I moved your post here: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/just-diagnosed-with-aortic-stenosis/ so that you can connect with them.
Are they planning on putting her on Proton Pump Inhibitors? Though it caused stomach issues, has it help her heart issues?

I am 76 years old. I had a TAVR procedure in August 2021. I also had no previous heart issues. I am not taking any medications related to the procedure.

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they thought it was her heart (new TAVR) having problems but it was not it was just 10 months of baby aspirin that caused stomach and esophagus erosion and GERD and terrible chest pains. They put her on enteric coated aspirin but I read where aspirin is just plain bad and even if it is coast because it can cause problems in the small intestines and it still can cause problems once in the blood system. It seems baby aspirin is universal for to help stop clotting but it is all they have even if it causes problems. I read where pine bark extract works just has good as aspirin to help prevent clotting. She never really had heart problems like closed veins or arteries, or heart attacks, etc. just the Aorta valve problem and that the TAVR solved that problem. I do not think she needs any aspirin. Yes she is on the inhibitor plus I give her apple cider vinegar to help reduce the acid and she now sleeps on a bed that raises to help reduce gerd at night and do not eat later the three hours before going to bed. She would not need all of this if it was not for the aspirin causing the problem in the first place. Thanks for asking.

im 77 years old with severe as. They want to do a tavr. question is how long does the tavr valve last? And when it wears out can they replace with another tavr valve? Doing a tavr in a tavr instead of surgery.