Surgeon Q&A: Can TAVR Explants be Performed Robotically?

TAVR has helped millions of patients. But, what happens if your TAVR fails? Is it possible to explant the TAVR using a robot instead of a traditional open-heart approach? What should patients know about the benefits, risks, and timing of robotic TAVR explantation? To answer these important questions, HeartValveSurgery.com spoke with Dr. Vinay Badhwar, Executive Chair of the WVU Heart & Vascular Institute in Morgantown, West Virginia. In this educational video, Dr. Badhwar explains why some patients need TAVR explants, how robotic aortic valve replacement (RAVR) has developed, and what it means that Dr. Badhwar's team just performed the world’s first robotic TAVR explant. (Video posted on March 17, 2026)