What are your tips for recovery from TAVR procedure?

Thank you so much for the excellent and detailed follow up..jim

Hi Jamese, if you have not had the TAVR yet, this was my experience at Mayo Clinic Rochester. The TAVR was done under "moderate sedation" which means I was conscious. I did feel pressure in the groin area when they were doing it and I commented a few times that it hurt but they did not amp up any pain killer. That pain area required Tylenol for a few days after the surgery. Anyone who already had a pacemaker could go home the same day if they did not have any issues with the surgery, I had to stay overnight and the ECG the next morning showed I did not need a pacemaker so they let me leave. However, my one-week follow up with my physician showed I had developed LBBB (left bundle branch block) and I had to get a local cardiologist to proscribe a Heart monitor for me. Fortunately, my one month follow up at Mayo showed the LBBB was gone so I only need to have an echo in one year and then nothing after that unless any CHF symptoms show up in the future. FYI, I was told not to drive for a week after the TAVR because the surgeon feared slamming on the breaks could cause that groin wound to open up an bleed. They put two perclose devices in there to close the hole they make in the femoral artery and those do not dissolve, they will be in there forever. I have been doing cardio rehab for a few months now and no longer have shortness of breath on exertion and I have way more energy than I did prior to the surgery.

Thank you so much for a reply to my message. It’s reassuring. All of this is wrapping my head around this as Im a substitute school teacher/ go to the community health fitness center / and feel better than when I worked in the corporate world for the previous 40? Years. Yet my cardiologist says to maintain my pace… as if you’re in shape … you’ll ease through any surgery more smoothly than those who are not. Anyway thank you again ..

Jamese,
It's amazing how we come to find out what's going on with our bodies. I've had a similar situation, where I was feeling great only to find out I have a moderate hiatal hernia from free chest scan screening. And yes, I agree with being fortunate to have advanced medical technology. My sister just had the TAVR and actual surgery time took all of 10 minutes. She also had no symptoms, but decided to have a stress at the age of 62 because heart disease runs in our family. She had no issues post op, as I was the one who was with her for the surgery and stayed with her for a week following. I hope surgery and post op goes well for you; which I'm sure it will!!!

So I too am faced with same possibility… and only soon to be 72. Irony is I had none / zero symptoms. This all came about after I told my GP I had heart palpitations ( once).. he sent me to cardiologist… and one thing led to another.. discovering aortic stenosis. Yet I run 12 miles a week… walk the dog another 5… and still work. Yet glad it’s 2025 and not 1985 in the medical world.

There should be no pain. Lift the dressing next morning, so after one sleep, and you can take a shower. Just don't scrub the wound, whether with soap or with the towel afterwards. They say to replace the dressing...if you wish. But, again, no pain. If there is pain, look for suppuration, swelling, redness. Let your GP or the EP know right away,, or get to an ER for treatment.

You won't need any analgesic for the incision in your groin, almost certainly. There can be some 'tightness' or pressure, maybe a bit of an ache now and then, depending on leg action and position of your thigh, but otherwise...nope. I had two ablations, and neither came anywhere close to needing me to grit my teeth or to take an analgesic.

I called the Mayo Clinic Social Work Department in Rochester. They said when I am admitted to the hospital for surgery there will be a social work staff member on the floor so we can discuss how to set up home care with them at that time in case it will be needed.

Thank you. I forgot about the impairment angle, I was thinking it had to do with the possibility of the wound in the groin opening up and bleeding from driving. I think there is some pain associated with that area also for some time after the surgery, so that would fit into the impairment from pain killers theory. I live in a different state so my son has agreed to fly in from his state and we will stay locally in Rochester a few nights then he can drive me back home. It is about 4 hours so I probably would not be in shape to do that anyway that soon after the surgery.

You are going to be legally impaired for at least 24 hours, but maybe twice that in some states/jurisdictions. You should be apprised of this by an intake nurse or handout given/mailed to you in advance, several days. This is due to the aftereffects of the anesthetic.

Otherwise, it is, as you know, a 'day procedure', and you'll be released at most near 1900 hours-ish. You will need a cab, or a friend/relative/good-willed neighbour to drive you back home. From there, take it easy, do things slowly, keep calm, enjoy having the repaired valve right away, and drive when you're legally able to...next day, day after.

I have TAVR scheduled for January 2025 at Mayo Rochester. I need to know how soon after this I can drive since I live alone and am basically a recluse. The problem is that some people have other cardiovascular or health issues that cause recovery time to be longer. I have not had the CT scan yet but based on all the other tests, blood, ecg, x-ray, echo, the aortic valve stenosis is my only health issue. The problem is that even though this is a very simple surgery, in the event of a bad outcome, such as stroke, afib, pacemaker needed because of heart block, or worse case (other than death), they are prepared to go in then and there and do open heart surgery to fix any issues from a TAVR gone awry, so in that case the recovery is awful. I called a local homecare provider in my state and she said, in the case where a patient needs home care after surgery the Mayo social work department will set that up and will contact them directly. So we need to be in contact with the social work team if any post surgery care/rehab is needed. Their number in Rochester is 507-284-2131. My cardiologist at Mayo said the TAVR is getting to be an outpatient procedure, but from what I have researched, if a pacemaker is needed, they will keep you overnight in the hospital for observation. That seems to be a rare event though.