Welcome back, everyone! If you’ve been told you need surgery on your aortic valve, you’ll probably hear the term SAVR, or surgical aortic valve replacement . Even though it sounds intimidating, SAVR is a well-established operation that has helped millions of people live longer, healthier lives. Let’s break down what it is and why it’s done. What does the aortic valve do? The aortic valve sits between the heart and the aorta, opening and closing with every heartbeat to keep bl

🫀 Topic Tuesday: Bicuspid Aortic Valve (BAV) Heart Valve Awareness Month At Aortic Hope, we talk often about awareness — because awareness truly saves lives. Did you know that 1–2% of the population is born with a bicuspid aortic valve (BAV)? ¹ Instead of three leaflets, the aortic valve has two. It’s the most common congenital heart defect — and many people don’t discover it until adulthood. For some in our community, it was found because of a murmur. For others, it was dis