What the heart team should explain about your valve
TAVI, also called TAVR, replaces the aortic valve using a catheter-based procedure. That single sentence describes the technique, not your case. The decision to offer it depends on how your aortic valve is built, how narrowed or leaky it is, and how the rest of your heart and arteries look. The heart team is the group that reviews this together and decides whether a catheter-based approach is suitable for you.
Before you agree, ask how the team reviewed your valve imaging. Which scans did they use, and what did those scans show about the valve opening, the calcium, and the surrounding structures? Ask whether the images were recent enough to reflect your current condition. If the team is relying on older studies, ask whether new imaging is needed before a final plan.
Ask what the proposed device is and why it was chosen for your anatomy. Different devices have different sizes and designs, and the match between device and valve matters. You do not need to understand every engineering detail, but you should hear a clear reason: this device, for this valve, because of these measurements. If the answer is vague, ask again.
Ask what the alternatives are. That includes surgical aortic valve replacement, continued medical management, or watchful waiting, depending on your situation. The heart team should be able to explain why they recommend one route over another for you, not for patients in general. If you are not offered a choice, ask whether a choice exists and what would change the recommendation.
Questions about the procedure itself
Ask how the catheter reaches your heart. The team may use an artery in the groin or another route. The route affects recovery and risk, so it should be explained before you consent. Ask what happens if the planned route is not possible once the procedure begins, and what the backup plan is.
Ask who will perform the procedure and who will be present. You are entitled to know whether a senior operator will be involved and how the team handles complications. Ask what monitoring you will have during and after the procedure, and where you will recover immediately afterward.
Ask about anesthesia and sedation. Will you be awake, sedated, or under general anesthesia? Each approach has different implications for your comfort and for how quickly you can be assessed afterward. Ask who will manage your anesthesia and what they need to know about your other conditions.
Ask what could go wrong and how the team plans to respond. You do not need a list of every rare event, but you should hear the main risks explained in plain terms: stroke, bleeding, damage to blood vessels, problems with the new valve, or the need for urgent surgery. Ask how often this team encounters those situations and what they do when they occur. If you want numbers, ask for the team's own experience and the evidence behind their estimates, and accept that no estimate guarantees your individual result.
What to confirm about the device and its availability
Ask which device is proposed, whether it is approved for use in China, and whether it is currently available at the hospital. Availability can change, and a device that is available today may not be available on your procedure date. Ask what happens if the planned device is not available when you arrive.
Ask whether the device is being used within its approved indication or as part of a study. If it is part of a study, ask what that means for consent, monitoring, and follow-up. You should understand whether you are receiving standard care or something experimental.
Ask about the valve's expected durability and what happens if it fails later. Some valves can be replaced again with another catheter procedure; others may need surgery. Ask what the plan would be for you if the valve deteriorates years from now, and whether that plan is feasible in your home country.
Ask for the device information in writing if you want to review it with a clinician at home. You are entitled to know what is being implanted in your body.
Admission, hospital stay and discharge planning
Ask how long you should expect to stay in the hospital, understanding that this is an estimate for planning and not a promise. Ask what would make your stay longer or shorter. The answer helps you arrange accommodation and travel, but it should not be treated as a fixed schedule.
Ask what monitoring you will need after the procedure. Will you go to a regular ward, a step-down unit, or an intensive care unit? Ask who will review you each day and what they are watching for. Ask how your heart rhythm, kidney function, and access site will be checked.
Ask about discharge medications. You may need blood thinners or other medicines after the procedure. Ask who will prescribe them, how long you should take them, and how you will get refills after you return home. Do not stop or change any medication on your own; that decision belongs to your treating clinician.
Ask what discharge instructions you will receive and in what language. If you do not read Chinese, ask whether written instructions and medication labels can be provided in English. Confirm this before discharge, not after.
Follow-up and heart reviews after the procedure
Ask how your heart will be reviewed after the procedure and who will do it. Will you have an echocardiogram before discharge? Will you need another one weeks or months later? Ask what those reviews are looking for and how the results will be shared with you.
Ask how follow-up will work once you return home. Will the hospital in China send records to your local cardiologist? Will you need to return to China for reviews, or can they be done locally? Ask what information your local clinician will need and how to get it.
Ask what symptoms should prompt you to seek urgent care. Chest pain, shortness of breath, fainting, fever, or bleeding from the access site are examples of symptoms that may need immediate attention. Ask for clear instructions in writing, and ask who to contact in China if a problem arises soon after you leave.
Ask whether the hospital provides a summary letter or discharge report that you can share with your local team. Confirm how long it will take to receive it and whether it will be in English. This is a practical question that affects your continuity of care.
Records, second opinions and what to confirm before you travel
Before you commit to travel, ask what records the hospital needs to review your case. This may include recent echocardiograms, CT scans, coronary angiography, blood tests, and reports from your local cardiologist. Ask whether the hospital needs the original images or whether copies are acceptable, and how to send them securely.
If you want an opinion before traveling, you can ask for a records-based review. This is not a final decision or a guarantee of acceptance; it is a way to understand whether your case is likely to be considered and what additional information might be needed. A proxy consultation is optional and not a prerequisite for every appointment or procedure.
Ask what the hospital's written estimate includes and excludes. Ask how the estimate is structured, what could change it, and what payment is expected before admission. Hospital fees, our coordination fees, and travel costs are separate. Ask the hospital directly about its billing process and what it requires from international patients.
If you would like help requesting a specialist appointment, organizing records, or arranging interpretation during consultations, ChinaSpecialistCare can assist with those non-clinical coordination tasks. We do not decide suitability, prescribe treatment, or guarantee hospital acceptance. The heart team at the hospital makes those decisions.
A practical next step is to gather your recent cardiac imaging and reports, write down your main questions, and send a brief summary through the enquiry form. An initial enquiry is free and does not require purchasing a proxy consultation. The hospital will decide whether TAVR or TAVI is suitable for you after reviewing your case.
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.