“The innovative procedure allows for the installation of an artificial heart valve by means of a catheter. The catheter is inserted into an artery that is accessed through a small incision in either the patient’s groin or chest. It is then snaked through the artery until it reaches the heart and delivers the attached artificial valve for implantation.  TAVR not only avoids the need to open the chest wall, it can also minimize complications associated with general anesthesia, since TAVR can be performed under local anesthesia. What was a six-hour open-heart operation plus two weeks in the hospital is reduced to about a two-hour procedure.” http://www.caseyresearch.com/cdd/the-next-big-thing-in-cardiology