HF 8268

After Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR)

After Your Procedure

  • You will spend the night at the hospital. We will watch you closely and help control any pain you may have.

  • You will have an IV and heart monitor until you go home.

  • You can go for a walk as soon as the puncture site is stable.

  • A member from cardiac rehab will come see you and help you get set up with rehab close to home.

  • This starts 2-3 weeks after your valve is replaced.

Before you leave the hospital, you learn how to care for yourself when you get home.

A family member or friend must drive you home. They should stay with you for the first day or two. It may help to have them with you the day you go home so they can hear any instructions.

You will get prescriptions for medicines. Please bring your insurance card if you plan to fill your prescriptions at the UW Hospital Pharmacy.

Our nurse case manager will help to set you up with other health care needs, such as home therapy or a rehab facility (if needed). Going Home

What to Expect

  • Mild soreness or tenderness at the site that may last 1 week.

  • Bruising at the site that may take 2-3 weeks to go away.

  • A small lump (dime to quarter size) which may last up to 6 weeks.

Minor Pain

  • You may take acetaminophen (Tylenol) 325 mg tablets every 4-6 hours.

  • You may put an ice pack or warm pack over the site for 20 minutes every 2 hours. Gently wipe the site after you remove the pack if it is wet.

Medicines

Take your medicines as your doctor told you. Tell your doctor about any side effects. Do not stop taking a medicine without talking to your doctor first.

Diet

Eat a low salt, heart healthy diet.

Puncture Site Care

  • Check the site daily for signs of infection:

  • Redness

  • Swelling

  • Pus like drainage

  • Prolonged pain

  • Fever of 100.4° F for 2 readings taken 4 hours apart

You may shower after 24 hours. Remove the bandage over the puncture site before you shower.
For the next 3 days:

  • Gently clean the site using soap and water while in the shower. Gently dry the site. Do not rub.

  • Cover the site with a band-aid or dressing.

  • Keep the site clean and dry to prevent infection. Remove the band-aid if it becomes wet or loose and replace it with a new one.

Activities

  • Do not lift more than 10 pounds for 1 week or until it has healed.

  • Do not golf, do carpentry, play tennis or other vigorous activity for 1 week.

  • Do not soak the site in a bathtub, hot tub or swimming pool for 1 week or until the site has healed. It is okay to shower.

  • You can cook, type, clean and drive, if able, the day after you go home.

Follow-Up Visits

You will need to have a check-up with the heart doctor both 30 days and one year after your TAVR.

Tell all your doctors including dentists and eye doctors that you have a new heart valve before any future procedures.

If you ever need an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) test, always tell the doctor or tech that you have a new heart valve. The valve could get damaged if the doctor does not know about it.

Signs of Stroke: BE FAST

Watch for signs of a stroke:
B – Balance: sudden loss of balance or coordination
E – Eyes: sudden vision changes
F – Face: one side of the face droops
A – Arm: one arm drifts downward
S – Speech: words are slurred, or speech is confused
T – Terrible Headache: sudden severe headache

Low heart rate

A few people may have a problem with low heart rate, feeling dizzy or fainting after a TAVR.

Most adults have a resting heart rate of at least 60 beats per minute. A low heart rate for most adults is less than 60 beats per minute which is also called bradycardia.
Call your doctor right away if you have any signs or symptoms of a low heart rate:

  • Fatigue or feeling weak

  • Dizziness or lightheadedness

  • Confusion

  • Fainting or near fainting spells

  • Shortness of breath

  • Difficulty when exercising

Call your doctor if you have checked your pulse or heart rate and it is below 60 beats per minute.

Call the Cardiology Clinic for:

  • Signs of infection

  • Numbness or tingling in the arm, hand, or leg near the site.

  • Pain at the site.

Who to Call

UW Health Heart and Vascular Clinic
608-263-1530
Toll free- 800-323-8942

After hours, weekends and holidays, the Paging Operator will answer this phone number. Ask for the cardiac doctor on call. Give your name and phone number including the area code. The doctor will call you back

Call 911 for:

  • Any bleeding at the site, you should apply direct pressure. If the bleeding does not stop after 10 minutes of constant pressure. Keep pressure on the site until help arrives.

  • Sudden swelling at the site.

  • If your hand or leg near the site becomes cold, turns blue or you have severe pain.

  • Chest, arm, neck, back or stomach pain or pressure.

  • Sweatiness

  • Shortness of breath or breathing problems.

  • Passing/blacking out

  • Signs of a stroke