Chronic kidney disease patients often develop aortic stenosis, which requires a transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) procedure to treat. The question arises: will a TAVR procedure worsen the renal function of CKD patients? According to Cardiovascular Business, this surgery causes no harm and could even help renal function.

About Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD)

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) occurs when there is damage in the kidneys that progresses over time. About 26 million adults in the United States are affected by CKD. It is often the result of another condition, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and polycystic kidney disease among others. Patients will experience the symptoms of their first disorder along with the effects of CKD, which include jaundice, stunted growth, high blood pressure, an enlarged liver or spleen, nausea, lack of appetite, vitamin deficiencies, fatigue, sleep issues, weakness, muscle cramps and twitches, changes in urination, persistent itching, shortness of breath, and swelling in the feet and ankles. Treatment is symptomatic and focuses on reducing complications and slowing progression. Doctors may prescribe diuretics, high blood pressure medication, cholesterol medication, anemia medication, and supplements to protect the bones. If CKD progresses enough, dialysis and kidney transplants may be necessary.

TAVR and CKD

A study that was published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology states that the TAVR surgery does not typically impact renal function at all. If it does, it improves it. The researchers studied the cases of over 5,000 CKD patients who underwent the surgery.

Of the 5,000 patients, the majority of them experienced a stable or improved stage of CKD seven days after the surgery. This is very reassuring to doctors and patients who were unsure of the risk of a TAVR procedure. An editorial of the study notes how helpful this knowledge is and how it could improve outcomes for patients.