Aortic stenosis is a disease of the aortic valve of the heart. It is defined as an obstruction either of the valve either before or after the valve (rare).
The most frequent cause is degenerative (due to advanced age). The aortic valve has 3 cusps, and with time, these valves fusion or “glue” themselves one to another, resulting in a difficulty of the heart muscle to eject the blood from the left ventricule.
The symptoms can vary from a simple faint to cardiac arrest and death.
The treatment options are interventional: percutaneously or surgery.
The percutaneous treatment involves the positioning of the valve through a catheter inserted by the femoral vein. The technique is called TAVR (trans-aortic valve replacement). Heart surgery involves opening the chest cage and removing surgically the valve. A new valve is put into place.
The life expectancy after aortic valve replacement is similar to the general population.
Cordially, Alexandru Mischie.
