• UCLA Health
  • myUCLAhealth
  • School of Medicine
Heart and Vascular Services at UCLA

UCLA Heart and Vascular Services

Heart and Vascular Services at UCLA
  • About Us
    • Celebrating Heart Health Month
    • Video Gallery
    • How To Give
    • Maps and Locations
    • Request an Appointment
  • Programs & Conditions
    • Ahmanson/Adult Congenital Heart Disease Center
    • Aortic Center
    • Cardiac Arrhythmia Center
    • Cardiology
    • Cardiac Testing
    • Cardiac Surgery
    • ECMO Program
    • Interventional Cardiology
    • Pediatrics
    • Heart Transplant
    • Peripheral Vascular
    • Women's Cardiovascular Center
  • For Patients
    • What to Bring
    • Contact Us
    • Heart Health Library
    • Heart & Vascular Procedure Videos
    • Webinars
    • Accommodations
    • Request an Appointment
    • Insurance Information
    • Advance Healthcare Directive
  • Our Locations
  • Research & Education
    • Clinical Research
    • Fellowship Programs
    • Research Units
  • For Referring Physicians
  • Request an Appointment
  • Our Expert Team
    • ACHDC Team
    • Adult Cardiology Team
    • Pediatric Cardiology Team
    • Cardiothoracic Surgery Team
    • Interventional Cardiology Team
    • Researchers
  • UCLA Health
  • myUCLAhealth
  • School of Medicine

UCLA Heart and Vascular Services

Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR)

  1. Home
  2. Interventional Cardiology
  3. Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR)

Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR)

Share this

UCLA Health ranks as one of the top 3 hospitals in the nation - according to a U.S.News & World Report survey. Our cardiology and heart surgery program consistently ranks as one of the top in the nation.

What is Aortic Valve Stenosis?

Aortic valve stenosis is a form of heart disease in which the valve that regulates the flow of blood from the heart is prevented from opening fully. This can lead to chest pain or chest tightness, heart palpitations, fatigue and shortness of breath, especially with exertion.

While physicians have had great success in treating aortic valve stenosis by replacing the faulty valve with a mechanical one or a valve made from animal tissue, some patients have not been candidates for this procedure because they are not healthy enough for open-heart surgery. These patients may benefit from a new replacement valve that can be implanted through a small incision in the groin or between the ribs, eliminating the need for a large incision in the chest.

Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement Procedure

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recently approved the transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) for appropriate patients with aortic valve stenosis who are not candidates for open surgery to replace their natural aortic valve. The procedure resembles a balloon angioplasty, in which a catheter - a long, flexible tube - is threaded through an artery and a balloon device on the end inflates to help open up a narrowing in an artery in the heart. In the case of TAVR, the replacement valve collapses to a very small diameter and is crimped onto the balloon device. The surgeon positions the replacement valve inside the patient's natural aortic valve and inflates the balloon. This causes the replacement valve to expand, pushing the faulty valve aside. The replacement valve begins to function as soon as the balloon catheter deflates to permit the flow of blood.

Patients usually enjoy immediate benefit from the procedure in terms of improved blood circulation. Because the replacement valve is placed using minimally invasive techniques, patients usually experience a much more rapid recovery than they would from a traditional, open-heart valve replacement.

Our Multidisciplinary Team Approach

The new device is initially being made available at centers whose experience in doing similar interventional cardiology procedures best qualify them to perform the new TAVR procedure. UCLA's team of experts includes interventional cardiologists, cardiothoracic surgeons, anesthesiologists, echocardiographers and a heart-lung machine team. UCLA physician are currently evaluating patients as candidates for TAVR.

In a recent research trial, a group of aortic valve stenosis patients receiving only medical therapy had a one-year survival rate of 50 percent; TAVR was shown to improve one-year survival to 70 percent. "The initial rollout is for patients considered to be too high a risk for surgery," explains Jonathan Tobis, M.D., clinical professor of cardiology and director of Interventional Cardiology at UCLA. "The expectation is that this will eventually be used for a wider population."

In addition to improving longevity, by improving the circulation of oxygenated blood the new device can reverse some of the limitations that their heart disease has caused these patients. "We expect to see substantial quality-of-life gains from the new procedure," states Richard J. Shemin, M.D., chief of Cardiothoracic Surgery at UCLA. "Many patients who were formerly bedridden may be able to resume some of the activities of daily life."

UCLA is actively evaluating patients as candidates for TAVR. For more information or to arrange an evaluation, please call the appointments number below.

Contact Information

(310) 825-9011 UCLA TAVR coordinator
TAVR@mednet.ucla.edu

Physicians & Specialists

Aksoy, Olcay MD
Cardiovascular Disease

Kwon, Murray MD
Thoracic Surgery; Transplant Surgery

Shemin, Richard MD
Thoracic Surgery; Transplant Surgery

Suh, William MD
Cardiovascular Disease

Tobis, Jonathan MD
Cardiovascular Disease

Vorobiof, Gabriel MD
Cardiovascular Disease

Learn more

Read about our first TAVR patient:

Glendale grandmother truly has reason to celebrate her birthday.

UCLA's first patient to receive new heart procedure celebrates a better life.

In the News:

Unique heart valve procedure a holiday blessing for 94-year-old

Like Us on Facebook Follow Us on Twitter Subscribe to Our Videos on YouTube Follow us on Instagram Connect with Us on LinkedIn Follow us on Pinterest
UCLA Health hospitals ranked best hospitals by U.S. News & World Report
  • UCLA Health
  • Find a Doctor
  • School of Medicine
  • School of Nursing
  • UCLA Campus
  • Directory
  • Newsroom
  • Subscribe
  • Patient Stories
  • Giving
  • Careers
  • Volunteer
  • International Services
  • Privacy Practices
  • Nondiscrimination
  • Billing
  • Health Plans
  • Emergency
  • Report Broken Links
  • Terms of Use
  • 1-310-825-2631
  • Maps & Directions
  • Contact Us
  • Your Feedback
  • Get Social
  • Sitemap
Like Us on Facebook Follow Us on Twitter Subscribe to Our Videos on YouTube Follow us on Instagram Connect with Us on LinkedIn Follow us on Pinterest