Patient Education

Understanding Your Heart Procedure

Plain-language explanations of structural heart and coronary procedures — what they are, why they're done, what to expect, and what questions to ask your doctor. With video guides where available.

⚠️ This page is for educational purposes only and does not replace advice from your own cardiologist.

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Know Your Options

Understanding your procedure helps you ask better questions, make informed decisions, and feel more confident going into your care. You deserve a full explanation — not just a consent form.

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Get a Second Opinion

For any major cardiac procedure — TAVR, Watchman, MitraClip, high-risk PCI — a second opinion is always appropriate. It is standard of care, not an insult to your current physician.

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Questions to Ask

Before any procedure, ask: Why do I need this? What happens if I don't have it? What are the risks? What are the alternatives? How many of these has my doctor done? What does recovery look like?

Aortic Valve Disease & TAVR

The aortic valve controls blood flow out of the heart. When it narrows severely (aortic stenosis), it can be replaced without open heart surgery.

What Is Aortic Stenosis?

Aortic Stenosis

When Your Heart Valve Stops Opening Properly

The aortic valve has three leaflets that open and close with every heartbeat. In aortic stenosis, these leaflets become stiff and calcified over time — like a door that can no longer open fully. The heart has to work harder and harder to push blood through the narrowed opening.

What are the warning signs?

Shortness of breath walking up stairs, chest tightness with exertion, feeling faint or dizzy, unusual fatigue, and ankles that swell. These symptoms mean the valve is severely narrowed and treatment is needed.

How serious is it without treatment?

Once symptoms develop from severe aortic stenosis, the average survival without treatment is 2–3 years. This is one of the most time-sensitive valve conditions in cardiology.

Full TAVR Guide → Request Consultation

How TAVR Works — Animation

TAVR Procedure

Replacing Your Aortic Valve Without Open Heart Surgery

TAVR (Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement) delivers a brand-new valve through a small tube inserted in your groin — no sternotomy, no heart-lung bypass machine, no stopped heart. The new valve is folded up, guided to the exact position, and expanded in place in minutes.

What is recovery like?

Most patients walk the next day and go home in 1–2 days. The groin heals in about 2 weeks. Most people notice dramatic improvement in breathing and energy within days to weeks.

Will I need open heart surgery instead?

This depends on your age, anatomy, and overall health. TAVR is now the preferred approach for most patients over 65. Younger patients may still benefit from surgery in some cases — your heart team will discuss both options with you.

Full TAVR Guide → Request Consultation

Stroke Prevention — Watchman Device

If you have atrial fibrillation and cannot safely take blood thinners long-term, the Watchman device may be an alternative to prevent stroke.

Why AF Causes Strokes

Atrial Fibrillation & Stroke

How Atrial Fibrillation Increases Your Stroke Risk

In atrial fibrillation, the upper chambers of the heart quiver irregularly instead of beating in a coordinated rhythm. This causes blood to pool in a small pouch called the left atrial appendage — where clots form. If a clot breaks loose, it can travel to the brain and cause a stroke.

How much does AF increase stroke risk?

Atrial fibrillation increases stroke risk by 5 times compared to people without AF. The strokes caused by AF tend to be larger and more disabling than other types of stroke.

Full Watchman Guide → Request Consultation

How Watchman Works

Watchman Device

Sealing Off the Source of Stroke — Without Lifelong Blood Thinners

The Watchman FLX is a small plug — about the size of a quarter — that is placed inside the left atrial appendage through a thin tube in your vein. Over time, heart tissue grows over the device, permanently sealing off the pouch where clots form. Most patients can stop blood thinners after 45 days.

Am I a candidate for Watchman?

Watchman is typically recommended for AF patients who have an elevated stroke risk AND a reason they cannot safely take blood thinners long-term — such as a history of serious bleeding, high fall risk, or kidney disease that complicates anticoagulation.

Full Watchman Guide → Request Consultation

Mitral Valve — MitraClip

The mitral valve controls blood flow on the left side of the heart. When it leaks significantly, it can be repaired with a small clip — no open heart surgery needed.

Understanding Mitral Regurgitation

Mitral Valve Disease

When Your Mitral Valve Leaks — And What It Means

The mitral valve sits between the left atrium and left ventricle. When it leaks (mitral regurgitation), blood flows backwards with every heartbeat instead of forward. Over time this causes the heart to enlarge and weaken. Symptoms include shortness of breath, fatigue, and reduced exercise tolerance.

Is a leaking mitral valve always serious?

Mild mitral regurgitation is common and often requires only monitoring. Severe MR that causes symptoms or heart changes needs treatment. Your cardiologist will grade the severity with an echocardiogram (heart ultrasound).

Full MitraClip Guide → Request Consultation

How MitraClip Works

MitraClip Procedure

Fixing a Leaking Mitral Valve With a Clip — No Open Surgery

The MitraClip is a tiny clip delivered through a vein in your leg. It grasps the mitral valve leaflets together at the point of the leak, immediately reducing the regurgitation. Most patients go home the next day and notice significant improvement in breathing and energy within weeks.

Can everyone with a leaking mitral valve have MitraClip?

Not all mitral valve anatomy is suitable for MitraClip. Your structural heart team will review your echocardiogram carefully to determine if the anatomy is amenable to clip repair versus surgery or another approach.

Full MitraClip Guide → Request Consultation

Hole in the Heart — PFO & ASD Closure

A patent foramen ovale (PFO) is a small opening between the heart's upper chambers present in 1 in 4 people. In stroke patients, closing it may prevent a second stroke.

What Is a PFO?

PFO — Patent Foramen Ovale

A Small Opening That Can Cause a Big Problem

Before birth, a small flap-like opening (foramen ovale) connects the two upper chambers of the heart. In most people it seals shut after birth. In about 25% of people it stays open — this is a PFO. Usually harmless, but in some people it allows blood clots to pass directly from veins to arteries, causing a stroke.

I had a stroke and my doctor found a PFO — now what?

If you had a stroke with no clear cause (called a cryptogenic stroke) and you are under 60, closing the PFO may significantly reduce your risk of a second stroke. A thorough neurological and cardiac evaluation is needed first to confirm the PFO was likely the cause.

What is the procedure like?

PFO closure is a same-day or one-night procedure. A small closure device is delivered through a vein in the leg under light sedation. Most patients go home the same day or the following morning with minimal restrictions.

Full PFO Guide → Request Consultation

Blocked Heart Arteries — Coronary Stenting (PCI)

When the arteries that supply your heart muscle become blocked — by plaque, calcium, or a blood clot — a stent can restore blood flow without bypass surgery.

How Coronary Stenting Works

Coronary Artery Disease

Reopening a Blocked Heart Artery With a Stent

A coronary stent is a small metal scaffold delivered through a thin tube to a blocked artery. A balloon expands the stent, crushing the blockage against the artery wall and restoring normal blood flow. Modern drug-eluting stents release medication that prevents scar tissue from re-forming inside the stent.

Do I need bypass surgery or can a stent work?

This depends on how many arteries are blocked, how complex the blockages are, and your overall health. Your cardiologist will use a scoring system (SYNTAX score) and heart team discussion to recommend the best approach for you specifically.

What is a high-risk PCI?

Some stent procedures are more complex — involving the left main artery, multiple severely diseased arteries, heavy calcium, or patients with very weak heart function. These "high-risk" cases require specialized operators, advanced imaging (IVUS), and sometimes a heart support device (Impella) during the procedure.

Full PCI Guide → Request Consultation

Heart Failure & Cardiogenic Shock

When the heart suddenly cannot pump enough blood to support the body — cardiogenic shock is a cardiac emergency requiring immediate advanced care.

Understanding Cardiogenic Shock

Cardiogenic Shock

When the Heart Needs Emergency Support

Cardiogenic shock occurs when the heart muscle is too weak or damaged to pump enough blood to sustain life — most often after a massive heart attack. Blood pressure drops, organs begin to fail, and without immediate intervention, the condition is fatal. Advanced heart support devices like Impella can take over the heart's pumping function while the heart heals.

What is an Impella device?

Impella is a small pump placed inside the heart through a catheter in the leg. It actively pumps blood out of the left ventricle and into the aorta — doing the work the heart cannot do on its own. This gives the heart muscle time to rest and recover, while keeping blood flowing to the brain, kidneys, and other vital organs.

Full Guide → Contact Dr. Khan

Before Any Procedure

What to Expect — Your Timeline

Every patient's journey is different, but most structural heart procedures follow a similar path from referral to recovery.

Referral & First Appointment

Your cardiologist refers you to the structural heart program. You bring all your records — echo reports, cath reports, medications list, and prior test results. Dr. Khan reviews everything before your appointment.

Evaluation & Testing

A specialized CT scan, echocardiogram, and possibly a cardiac catheterization are performed. These help determine the best procedure, the correct device size, and confirm you are a good candidate.

Heart Team Discussion

Your case is reviewed by the multidisciplinary heart team — cardiologist, cardiac surgeon, imaging specialist, and anesthesiologist. Together they recommend the best treatment plan specifically for you.

Pre-Procedure Visit

You meet with the procedural team, review the consent and risks in detail, receive instructions for the day of the procedure (fasting, medications), and get all your questions answered.

The Procedure

Most structural heart procedures take 1–3 hours. You are sedated or under general anesthesia. A family member or support person can wait nearby. The team communicates updates throughout.

Recovery & Follow-Up

Most patients go home in 1–2 days. Follow-up echocardiogram at 30 days confirms results. Dramatic improvement in symptoms — breathing, energy, exercise tolerance — is typically noticed within days to weeks.

Common Questions

Patient FAQs

The questions patients ask most often — answered honestly.

Should I get a second opinion before a major heart procedure?

Yes — always. A second opinion before TAVR, Watchman, MitraClip, or any major cardiac intervention is standard of care. It takes nothing away from your current physician and ensures you have the most complete picture before making a decision.

What should I bring to my first consultation?

Bring your most recent echocardiogram report, any cardiac catheterization reports, your full medication list, prior surgical or procedure records, and a list of your questions. The more information you bring, the more complete the evaluation can be.

How do I know if a procedure is right for me?

The decision is made through a thorough evaluation of your symptoms, anatomy (from echo and CT), overall health, and values. There is rarely one "right answer" — the goal is to match the best available treatment to your specific situation and preferences.

Is my age a barrier to having a heart procedure?

Age alone is not a barrier to structural heart procedures. TAVR is routinely performed in patients in their 80s and 90s with excellent outcomes. What matters more than age is your overall health, frailty, and the benefit-to-risk balance for your specific situation.

Will I be awake during the procedure?

Most structural heart procedures are performed under conscious sedation — you are comfortable, relaxed, and not fully awake. Some complex cases use general anesthesia. Your team will discuss the anesthesia plan with you beforehand.

How long do these procedures last?

Most structural heart procedures (TAVR, MitraClip, Watchman, PFO closure) take 1–3 hours from start to finish. You spend additional time in recovery before going to your room. Most patients go home within 1–2 days.

⚠️ Important: The information on this page is for general educational purposes only and is not a substitute for personalized medical advice from your own physician. Every patient's situation is different. Do not make medical decisions based solely on this website. For emergencies, call 911. For appointments and clinical questions, contact your cardiologist directly.