Why there is no single eligibility answer
Patients often ask whether they are 'eligible for TAVI' as if a fixed threshold exists. In practice, eligibility is a judgement about one person's aortic valve, heart function, other conditions and treatment goals. The British Heart Foundation describes TAVI as a catheter-based replacement of the aortic valve, which explains why the decision depends heavily on how the valve and the surrounding anatomy look on imaging rather than on a single number.
That is why two patients with the same diagnosis can receive different recommendations. One may be offered a catheter-based approach, another may be advised that conventional surgery or continued medical management fits better, and a third may need more tests before anyone can say. A heart team — typically cardiologists, imaging specialists and cardiac surgeons reviewing together — weighs these factors. The team, not an enquiry service, owns that decision.
For an overseas patient, this matters practically. You cannot book a TAVI the way you book a scan. You can, however, prepare records that let a heart team assess your case, and you can ask precise questions about how that assessment will happen.
What the heart team looks at when reviewing your valve
The core of the review is valve anatomy and function. The team needs to understand the aortic valve's structure, the degree of narrowing or leakage, and how the heart muscle is responding. Echocardiography is central to this, and it is often combined with other imaging to plan a possible catheter route and device size. The exact imaging protocol is a clinical decision for the treating team, so ask which studies they require rather than assuming a fixed list.
Beyond the valve itself, the team considers your overall condition: other heart problems, lung function, kidney function, previous heart surgery and how independently you manage daily activities. These factors shape whether a catheter-based procedure is reasonable, what risks it carries for you specifically, and what recovery support you would need. A clinician can discuss evidence-based risk estimates and their uncertainty with you; no estimate guarantees your individual result.
This is also where device-related scope enters. Different valve devices suit different anatomies, and availability varies by hospital and by case. Ask directly: which device types does this hospital use for cases like mine, and how is that choice made? A general statement that TAVI is available somewhere in China does not tell you whether a suitable device is available for your anatomy at the hospital reviewing you.
The records that make a review possible
A heart team cannot assess valve anatomy from a summary letter. The most useful starting point is your recent imaging — particularly echocardiography reports and any CT or catheter studies already performed — together with procedure reports, discharge summaries and a current medication list. If your imaging was done some time ago, the team may want it repeated, but that is their call.
When you send records, include the actual reports and image files where available, not only conclusions. A report that says 'severe aortic stenosis' without the measurements behind it gives the team less to work with. If something is missing, the honest approach is to say so and ask what the hospital needs next, rather than waiting until every document is perfect before making contact.
It also helps to write down your main question in one or two sentences: for example, whether a catheter-based approach is being considered for you at all, or whether you are being assessed for a repeat procedure. A clear question keeps the review focused.
- Recent echocardiography report, including measurements where available
- Any CT, angiography or catheterisation reports relevant to the aortic valve
- Previous cardiac surgery or intervention reports
- Current medication list and known allergies
- A short statement of your main question and current symptoms
Questions that clarify eligibility for your case
Because eligibility is individual, the useful questions are the ones that reveal how the team reached its view. Ask whether your case has been discussed by a heart team or by a single specialist, and what information that discussion was based on. Ask what alternatives were considered — conventional surgery, medical management, further observation — and why the recommended path was preferred for you.
Ask about the proposed device and its scope: which device, why it fits your anatomy, and what the plan is if the first choice is unsuitable. Ask what would make the team decide against a catheter-based approach in your case. That last question is often the most informative, because it shows the boundaries of the recommendation rather than only its conclusion.
Finally, ask about follow-up. A TAVI is not finished when the procedure ends; the valve and your heart need later review. Ask how follow-up is structured, whether it can be done partly with your local cardiologist, and what the hospital expects from you after discharge. These are planning questions, and the answers belong to the treating team.
What an enquiry can and cannot establish
An initial enquiry to ChinaSpecialistCare is a non-clinical intake step. Our team checks the available diagnosis, records and your main question, identifies missing information and suggests a relevant next step. It is not a diagnosis, not a clinical second opinion and not a promise of acceptance by any hospital. A records-based specialist opinion can be arranged separately if you want one, but it remains an opinion based on documents, not a final decision about your procedure.
This distinction protects you. If someone tells you that you are 'eligible for TAVI in China' before a heart team has reviewed your imaging, that statement is not clinically meaningful. Suitability, device choice and hospital acceptance are decisions for licensed clinicians at the treating hospital. What a coordination service can do is help you assemble records, understand the process and communicate with the hospital — not substitute for its judgement.
It is also worth being clear about urgency. If your symptoms are worsening — for example increasing breathlessness, chest pain or fainting — seek assessment locally first. An overseas enquiry should not delay necessary care where you are.
Preparing to ask a hospital about your case
Once you have your records together, the practical step is to ask the hospital how it reviews cases like yours. Ask how the heart team is organised, which imaging it requires before a decision, and how the proposed device is selected. Ask what the written plan would include, what remains undecided until further tests, and how admission and later heart reviews are arranged for international patients. Confirm these points with the specific hospital rather than assuming a standard process.
You can also ask how communication will work: who explains the plan to you, in what language, and how questions between visits are handled. For a decision this significant, understanding the plan matters as much as the procedure itself.
If you would like help organising your records and putting these questions to a hospital, you can start with a free initial enquiry through the ChinaSpecialistCare care-review page. Share a brief summary first; the team will explain what to send next. For background on the procedure itself, see the TAVR and TAVI reference page.
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.