Catheter procedures now offer valve repair without open-heart surgery

Minimally invasive catheter procedures are transforming structural heart care, allowing selected patients to undergo valve repair and replacement without traditional open-heart surgery. Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is one of the best-known examples, used for severe aortic stenosis. During TAVR, a replacement valve is compressed onto a catheter and guided through an artery in the groin to the diseased valve, where it expands and takes over function.

The catheter-based revolution is extending beyond the aortic valve. Patients with mitral or tricuspid valve disease may be candidates for transcatheter repair or replacement. Devices can also close certain holes in the heart without conventional surgery. For appropriately selected patients, these procedures mean less chest trauma, shorter hospital stays, and faster recovery compared to open-heart approaches. However, minimally invasive does not mean risk-free, complications can include bleeding, infection, and stroke.