Aortic valve replacement is a procedure in which a patient's failing aortic valve is replaced with an alternate healthy valve. The aortic valve can be affected by a range of diseases; the valve can either become leaky (aortic insufficiency / regurgitation) or partially blocked (aortic stenosis). Current aortic valve replacement approaches include open heart surgery, minimally invasive cardiac surgery (MICS) and minimally invasive, catheter-based (percutaneous) aortic valve replacement.
A catheter-based approach (percutaneous aortic valve replacement or PAVR) eliminates the need for open heart surgery, but is associated with a higher risk of stroke. As of March 2012, several catheter-based procedures are in use in the United States.
Read more about Aortic Valve Replacement: Surgical Procedure, Hospital Stay and Recovery Time, Surgical Outcome and Risk of Procedure, Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery, Percutaneous Aortic Valve Replacement
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