What the receiving clinician needs to know about your TAVI valve
TAVI, also called TAVR, replaces the aortic valve using a catheter-based procedure. After that procedure, your follow-up at home depends on the receiving clinician understanding exactly which valve you have, how it was placed, and what has happened since. This is not a formality. A valve record is the starting point for decisions about imaging, medication, symptoms and any future intervention.
The most useful document is the original TAVI procedure report or discharge summary. It should identify the valve model and size, the access route used, the date and hospital, and any immediate complications. If you do not have this, ask the original hospital for a copy before you travel or as soon as possible afterward. A brief note that says only 'TAVI done' is not enough for a receiving clinician to assess valve function or plan follow-up.
Your follow-up history matters just as much. Bring the most recent echocardiogram report, not just the images. Bring clinic letters that describe symptoms, functional status and any changes in medication. If you have had a CT scan or angiography since the procedure, include the report. The receiving clinician needs to see trends, not isolated results.
Do not assume that a foreign report will be accepted without question. The receiving clinician may want to repeat or review specific images, or may ask for the original data rather than a summary. That is a clinical judgement, not a bureaucratic obstacle. Ask what format and what language the hospital prefers, and whether it needs the original discs or accepts digital copies.
Unresolved results and what to do before the first appointment
Unresolved results are common after any cardiac procedure. A follow-up echocardiogram may show a mild change that needs monitoring, or a blood test may be pending. The question is not whether you can hide these from the receiving clinician, but how to present them clearly so the team can decide what matters.
Make a one-page summary of any test that is pending, any result that was flagged as abnormal but not explained, and any symptom that has changed since the procedure. Include dates and the name of the test. If you have a question about a result, write it down. The first appointment is more useful when you can say, 'This scan was done on this date, and I was told to repeat it, but I do not know why.'
Do not try to interpret unresolved results yourself. A mild elevation in a blood marker or a small change on imaging may be clinically insignificant, or it may need action. The receiving clinician needs the raw information and the context. If you have a portal or app from the original hospital, check whether it allows you to download reports. If not, ask the original clinic to send them directly to you or to the receiving hospital, with your written consent.
If a result is genuinely urgent, do not wait for an overseas appointment. Seek local care. The purpose of sharing your China records with your home heart team is to plan follow-up, not to replace emergency assessment.
How the receiving clinician decides whether to accept your follow-up
Acceptance is a clinical decision made by the receiving heart team. It is not guaranteed by having a TAVI report, and it is not something a coordination service can promise. The team will consider the valve type, the time since the procedure, your current symptoms, your other medical conditions, and whether it has the relevant imaging and specialist capacity.
Before returning home, ask whether your local heart team or valve clinic can take over follow-up after TAVI performed in China. Confirm which records it needs and whether it wants to review them before the first appointment.
If the hospital says it can accept you, ask what that acceptance covers. Does it include follow-up echocardiography, medication review, and access to a cardiologist who can manage valve-related complications? Or is it limited to a single consultation? The answer changes what you need to arrange next.
If the hospital says it cannot accept you, ask for a reason and for an alternative. It may be that the team does not have the relevant imaging equipment, or that it prefers to follow patients whose original procedure was done at the same institution. That is useful information. Ask the treating team how ongoing care will be covered while another follow-up service is arranged.
Communication and language during follow-up
Ask your home heart team which language it requires for the China records. Request an appropriate translation where needed and keep the originals. If you need interpretation for a clinical discussion, confirm a professional service rather than assuming a companion can translate every detail.
Before leaving China, ask how outstanding results will be issued and whether they can be sent to your home cardiologist with your consent. Ask the home clinic how it will communicate its own results and follow-up plan. Confirm a contact on each side rather than assuming the transfer is automatic.
If you use a coordination service, clarify what it does and does not do. A non-clinical coordinator can help with appointment scheduling, document collection and interpretation arrangements. It cannot make clinical decisions, prescribe medication or guarantee that a hospital will accept you. Ask for a written description of the service scope before you pay anything.
Keep your own copy of every document you share. If a hospital asks for your original TAVI report, provide a copy and keep the original. If you are sharing digital files, use a secure method and confirm that the receiving clinician has actually received them.
Responsibilities: who does what after TAVI in China
After TAVI, follow-up usually involves several tasks: monitoring valve function, managing blood thinners or other medications, watching for symptoms such as breathlessness or chest pain, and deciding whether any further procedure is needed. The receiving clinician is responsible for clinical decisions. You are responsible for providing accurate information and following the agreed plan.
Ask the receiving clinician to explain which tasks are handled by which part of the team. For example, will a cardiologist review your echocardiogram, or will a valve clinic do that? Who will adjust your medication if your kidney function changes? Who should you contact if you develop a fever or new shortness of breath? Write down the answers.
If you are planning to return to your home country, ask for a written follow-up plan that you can give to your local doctor. It should include the valve type, the date of the procedure, the most recent imaging results, current medications, and any recommended monitoring. Ask the China team that performed the procedure to provide this, and confirm the ongoing plan with your home clinician.
Do not assume that the original TAVI team must be involved in every decision. The receiving clinician can assess you independently, using the records you provide. If there is a question that requires the original team's input, the receiving clinician can request it. Your job is to make sure the records are available and the contact details are correct.
Practical preparation before you travel or book an appointment
Start with a short summary of your TAVI history: date, hospital, valve type if known, and the reason for seeking follow-up at home. Send that summary to the hospital or coordination service and ask what else it needs. Do not send a complete medical archive in the first message. A brief summary is enough to start the conversation.
Gather the key documents: the TAVI procedure report, the most recent echocardiogram report, a list of current medications with doses, and any recent clinic letters. If you have a pacemaker or other device, include that information. If you have allergies, include them. Keep everything in one folder, either paper or digital.
Ask the hospital about appointment timing, interpretation, and what happens if you need a test before the consultation. Do not rely on general assumptions about waiting times or report delivery. These vary by hospital and by department. Ask for the specific process at the hospital you are considering.
If you need help obtaining records from the China hospital, ChinaSpecialistCare can discuss non-clinical document coordination. An initial enquiry is free. Your home clinic confirms whether it can take over follow-up; the treating clinicians make all decisions about medicines, monitoring and further treatment.
Sources & scope of this guide
References and official service information relevant to this guide.
This is general planning information and has not been individually reviewed by a doctor. Medical decisions and personal treatment advice come from your treating clinicians.