Aortic Stenosis

UT Southwestern Medical Center’s heart valve experts have the expertise and advanced techniques and technologies necessary to properly diagnose and treat aortic stenosis and improve patients’ quality of life.

Our Department of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery is one of the nation’s leading programs, offering a variety of treatments for aortic stenosis, including minimally invasive surgery. 

Experts in the Latest Treatments for Aortic Stenosis

Aortic stenosis is a heart valve disorder in which the aortic valve is abnormal, restricting blood flow from the left ventricle to the aorta.

As the heart works to compensate for this restriction and pump enough blood to the rest of the body, the pressure in the left ventricle increases. This pressure overload causes the walls of the left ventricle to thicken and stiffen (hypertrophy), preventing the heart from functioning properly.

The experienced heart doctors at UT Southwestern have performed more minimally invasive aortic valve replacements than doctors at any other North Texas center – and our team is a leader in developing new treatments for valve disorders.

While we offer traditional aortic valve replacement, we strive to perform minimally invasive procedures whenever possible. In most cases, our heart specialists can replace damaged aortic valves without open surgery, which significantly reduces patients’ pain and recovery time.

UT Southwestern also offers a dedicated Cardiac Rehabilitation Program. Cardiac rehabilitation is a critical component of recovery and can prevent future heart disease.

Causes of Aortic Stenosis

The causes of aortic stenosis include:

• Congenital aortic stenosis: Caused by an aortic valve that has two leaflets instead of three
  
• Rheumatic aortic stenosis: Caused by a history of rheumatic fever, which can damage heart valves and lead to heart failure
  
• Senile calcific aortic stenosis: Caused by degeneration of and calcium deposits on the aortic valve
  

Symptoms of Aortic Stenosis

The symptoms of aortic stenosis can include:

• Angina (chest pain originating in the heart)
  
• Syncope (fainting) with exercise
  
• Heart failure
  

Diagnosis of Aortic Stenosis

UT Southwestern’s heart doctors use several tests to determine the problem. Common diagnostic tests include:

• Cardiac catheterization: Used to diagnose and determine the severity of the condition by measuring pressure gradient across the valve
  
• Chest X-ray: To visualize calcification of the aortic valve when the heart size is normal
  
• Echocardiography (echo or cardiac ultrasound): To visualize the mitral valve and estimate the degree of stenosis and left ventricle function
  
• Electrocardiogram (EKG): To check for left ventricle hypertrophy
  
• Physical examination: Includes listening for a systolic “crescendo-decrescendo” murmur with a stethoscope
  

Treatment

Treatment options for aortic stenosis include:

• Aortic valve replacement, including transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR): Used in patients with symptomatic disease and increased pressure gradient
  
• Balloon valvuloplasty: Used to increase valve size and provide temporary symptom relief
  
• Medications: Diuretics (to reduce water retention) and digitalis compounds (to improve blood flow) to temporarily relieve symptoms
  

Clinical Trials

Clinical trials often give patients access to leading-edge treatments that are not yet widely available. Eligible patients who choose to participate in one of UT Southwestern’s clinical trials can receive treatments years before they are available to the public.