Preparing for TAVR – What to Expect
Once your doctor refers you to Inova, a coordinator will contact you to schedule your initial consult and evaluation testing. Our multidisciplinary team will review your results to determine if TAVR is an optimal treatment option for you.
During your initial consult, you will:
- Meet the Structural Heart Team
- Review the TAVR procedure and learn about potential risks and benefits
- Undergo a physical exam and strength assessment
- Have the opportunity to ask questions
- Discuss evaluation testing
We do our best to conduct evaluation testing in as few visits as possible. If you have already undergone any of the necessary evaluation testing within the past year, we may be able to use those results. Your required evaluation testing may include:
Cardiac Catheterization
Detects diseases in the heart’s valves or coronary (heart) arteries through a long, thin tube inserted into the leg or arm and threaded through blood vessels to the heart. The purpose of cardiac catheterization is to:
- Release dye to help the heart and blood vessels show up clearly on an X-ray
- Collect information about blood flow and blood pressure in your heart
Carotid Ultrasound
Carotid Ultrasounds use soundwaves to create pictures of the inside of arteries in your neck, which carry blood from your heart to your brain, to check for narrowing or blockages.
CT Scan
CT scans measure your heart and blood vessels' shape and size and take detailed X-ray pictures of them.
Dental Clearance
You will need an appointment with a dentist to determine if you need dental work before your TAVR procedure.
Echocardiogram
Echocardiograms use soundwaves to make an image of your heart, allowing your doctor to see how blood flows through the heart chambers, heart valves, and blood vessels.
Breathing test that checks lung function
On the morning of your TAVR procedure, you will register on the ground floor of Inova Schar Heart and Vascular. Our team will conduct pre-procedure routine care, and the anesthesiologist, your surgeon, and other members of the heart team will visit you. Following the TAVR procedure, you will immediately move to a specialized cardiac care unit and are typically discharged within one to three days.
We will schedule you for a series of post-procedure visits at Inova within a few days to one month after your hospital discharge. We are also available to address questions or concerns you may have in between appointments.