Concierge cardiac surgery · United Kingdom
Private heart valve surgery — surgical or transcatheter, weighed properly.
SAVR, TAVI, mitral repair, MitraClip, balloon mitral valvotomy and PPVI — aortic, mitral, tricuspid and pulmonary. A named consultant, a heart-valve MDT that actually meets, and both surgical and transcatheter options on the same table.
Why patients choose us
- 01
A consultant cardiac surgeon or interventional cardiologist, named up front
Not a name from a rota. A named surgeon or TAVI operator with a valve-team MDT behind them — the one who will do the case, and the one who owns your follow-up.
- 02
Surgery vs TAVI, honestly weighed
The right answer depends on age, anatomy, STS score, coronary disease and life expectancy. We put SAVR, TAVI, mitral repair and TEER on the same table — not just the option your first consultant does.
- 03
Independent, and free
We are paid by no hospital or device manufacturer, so the recommendation is impartial and costs you nothing.
Indicative pricing
What private heart valve surgery costs in the UK.
Indicative ranges across our partner cardiothoracic units. Send the details and we quote firm figures — usually across two or three options.
In short
A private SAVR in our network: £25,000–£38,000; a private TAVI: £30,000–£60,000.
| Procedure | Indicative range | Typical duration | Inpatient stay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) | £25,000–£38,000 | 3–4 hrs | 5–7 days inpatient |
| Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) | £30,000–£60,000 | 60–90 min | 1–3 days inpatient |
| Mitral valve repair (surgical) | £28,000–£42,000 | 3–5 hrs | 5–7 days inpatient |
| Mitral valve replacement (surgical) | £28,000–£45,000 | 3–5 hrs | 5–7 days inpatient |
| Transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (MitraClip / TriClip) | £30,000–£55,000 | 90–150 min | 1–3 days inpatient |
| Balloon mitral valvotomy (rheumatic MS) | £12,000–£20,000 | 60–90 min | 1–2 days inpatient |
| Percutaneous pulmonary valve implantation (PPVI) | £28,000–£45,000 | 90–120 min | 1–3 days inpatient |
| Consultation and heart-valve MDT review | £350–£600 | 45 min | Same visit |
Prices vary by hospital, by surgeon or TAVI operator, by the specific prosthesis or clip used (device cost is a big part of the TAVI and TEER figures), and by ITU length of stay. NHS treatment is available at no cost through your GP or cardiologist referral.
The problem
The right operator, the right valve, the right approach.
The single biggest predictor of outcome in valve surgery is operator volume — and after that, whether both surgical and transcatheter options are properly on the table. We fix both before you commit.
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Surgeon or TAVI operator?
The right answer varies by age, anatomy, coronary disease and surgical risk. We put a surgeon and a TAVI operator in the same conversation.
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Tissue or mechanical valve?
One means lifelong warfarin, the other means a redo in 10–20 years. We help you weigh occupation, pregnancy plans, bleeding risk and adherence.
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Repair, replace or clip?
For mitral disease, repair beats replacement when possible — and MitraClip beats surgery for the right secondary MR. A high-volume MDT gets this call right.
The journey
From enquiry to recovery — what happens, in order.
One clinician from first message to review — through workup, MDT, ITU and cardiac rehab.
Phase 1 · Before your procedure
Concierge, off-stage for you
Phase 2 · Admission and theatre
Hospital stay, cardiothoracic ITU
Phase 3 · After
Rehab and lifelong surveillance
- 01
Before
You tell us what is going on
A short, confidential form. Symptoms, echo report if you have one, comorbidities, and whether you are already under a cardiologist.
- 02
Before
We come back with a recommendation
Within one working day: which valve, which operation or transcatheter option, which surgeon or TAVI operator, and an indicative price.
- 03
Before
Valve-team MDT and workup
Echo, CT valve/TAVI planning, coronary angiography and anaesthetic review. The heart-valve MDT signs off the plan before the date is fixed.
- 04
Admission
Admission the day before or morning of
Bloods, ECG, consent, and time with your surgeon and anaesthetist. Warfarin, DOACs and antiplatelets are managed by the team.
- 05
Admission
The procedure itself
SAVR or mitral repair in a cardiothoracic theatre on bypass — typically three to five hours. TAVI in a hybrid lab under LA with sedation — 60 to 90 minutes, transfemoral in most cases.
- 06
Admission
Cardiothoracic ITU
One to two nights in cardiac ITU after surgical valve work; TAVI patients usually step down to a cardiac ward the same day or overnight.
- 07
After
Recovery, cardiac rehab and review
Ward stay five to seven days after surgery, two to three days after TAVI. Cardiac rehab from week four to six. Echo at six weeks, then annual valve surveillance for life.
Typical end-to-end: 3–4 weeks from enquiry to procedure. Full recovery: 6–12 weeks.
When it helps
When heart valve surgery is the right step.
The situations we see most across aortic, mitral, tricuspid and pulmonary disease — and the one red flag that means an emergency rather than a clinic booking.
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Severe symptomatic aortic stenosis
Breathlessness, chest tightness, syncope or heart failure with a tight aortic valve on echo — SAVR or TAVI, guided by age, STS score and anatomy.
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Severe aortic regurgitation
A leaking aortic valve with an enlarging LV or symptoms — surgical repair (David/Yacoub root reimplantation) or replacement.
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Severe primary mitral regurgitation
Degenerative MR from prolapse or flail leaflet — surgical repair with annuloplasty and neochords is preferred over replacement.
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Secondary / functional mitral regurgitation
MR from LV dysfunction, still symptomatic on maximal heart-failure therapy — transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (MitraClip) per NICE.
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Rheumatic mitral stenosis
A tight, calcified mitral valve — balloon mitral valvotomy in the right anatomy, surgical commissurotomy or replacement otherwise.
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Severe symptomatic tricuspid regurgitation
Right-sided failure, ascites, oedema — surgical annuloplasty, often concomitant with left-sided surgery; transcatheter TEER (TriClip, PASCAL) emerging.
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Pulmonary regurgitation after ToF repair
Adults with repaired Tetralogy or Ross procedure — percutaneous pulmonary valve implantation (Melody, Sapien) through the GUCH programme.
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Red flag: acute severe valve dysfunction
Acute pulmonary oedema, cardiogenic shock, or endocarditis with a leaking valve is an emergency — 999 or A&E, not a clinic booking.
Procedure options
SAVR, TAVI, mitral repair, MitraClip — all on the same table.
What each surgical and transcatheter option involves — and which fits which valve pathology.
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SAVR — surgical aortic valve replacement
Median sternotomy on cardiopulmonary bypass. Bioprosthetic (Perimount, Epic, Trifecta, Inspiris Resilia) or mechanical (St Jude, Carbomedics, On-X) — mechanical needs lifelong warfarin.
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TAVI / TAVR — transcatheter aortic valve
Transfemoral catheter delivery of a Sapien 3 (Edwards) or CoreValve Evolut Pro+ (Medtronic). NICE-approved across high, intermediate and, increasingly, low surgical risk.
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Ross procedure
The patient’s own pulmonary valve is moved to the aortic position and a homograft placed in the pulmonary position. Young adults, low-volume UK, technically demanding.
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Mitral repair (SCTS class Ia for primary MR)
Annuloplasty ring, PTFE neochords, cleft closure and Alfieri edge-to-edge — preferred over replacement for degenerative MR when the anatomy allows.
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MitraClip / PASCAL (TEER)
Transcatheter edge-to-edge repair for secondary MR on maximal HF therapy — NICE-approved, COAPT-selected patients see mortality and hospitalisation benefit.
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Balloon mitral valvotomy (BMV)
Percutaneous balloon dilatation of a rheumatic mitral valve — Wilkins score ≤8, no significant MR, no LA thrombus. NICE-approved for the right anatomy.
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Tricuspid repair or TriClip / EVOQUE
Surgical annuloplasty (usually concomitant) or transcatheter edge-to-edge (Abbott TriClip, Edwards PASCAL); transcatheter tricuspid valve replacement (EVOQUE) moving from investigational into UK practice.
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Percutaneous pulmonary valve (PPVI)
Melody (Medtronic) or Sapien delivered transvenously for pulmonary regurgitation after ToF repair or Ross — through the GUCH (grown-up congenital heart) programme.
Our vetted UK network
A small panel of valve specialists, we picked them.
Consultant cardiac surgeons and interventional cardiologists at cardiothoracic centres across London and the UK — all with formal heart-valve MDTs and on-site cardiothoracic ITU.
Selection criteria
How we choose every operator in our network.
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Consultant cardiac surgeons and TAVI operators with high individual case volumes
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Formal heart-valve MDT sign-off before every case
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Both surgical and transcatheter options offered — not just the one this consultant does
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Cardiothoracic ITU on site, with 24/7 cardiology and cardiac-anaesthesia cover
Safety and recovery
What to expect afterwards — honestly.
Modern valve surgery and TAVI are safe, high-volume procedures — but they are not trivial. The things worth planning are anticoagulation, the pacemaker question, and lifelong surveillance.
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Perioperative mortality is low but real
Elective SAVR sits around 1–3% mortality, TAVI around 2–4% across all-comers; both fall in fitter patients. The valve-team MDT quantifies your specific risk.
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Stroke risk
Around 2–3% with surgery, 3–5% with TAVI historically — falling with newer devices and embolic protection. We ask which protection device your operator uses.
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Pacemaker after the procedure
5–10% of SAVR patients and 10–25% of TAVI patients (higher with CoreValve) need a permanent pacemaker for conduction disease. Worth knowing in advance.
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Post-op atrial fibrillation
AF affects 25–30% of patients after cardiac surgery — usually managed and resolves. It can influence anticoagulation decisions afterwards.
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Bleeding, AKI and paravalvular leak
Bleeding and transient acute kidney injury are the commonest early issues. Paravalvular leak is a specifically TAVI risk — usually mild, occasionally needs a plug.
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Endocarditis for life
Any prosthetic valve carries a 0.5–1% per year lifetime risk of endocarditis. Good dental hygiene matters; NICE no longer recommends routine antibiotic prophylaxis for dental work.
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Bioprosthetic durability
Tissue valves typically last 10–20 years before structural valve deterioration. Younger patients trade that for a redo — often a valve-in-valve TAVI these days.
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Anticoagulation after the operation
Bioprosthetic aortic: warfarin INR 2–3 for three months, then aspirin. Mechanical aortic: warfarin 2–3 for life. Mechanical mitral: warfarin 2.5–3.5 for life. DOACs are not licensed for mechanical valves.
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Red flags after discharge
Fever, wound discharge, sudden breathlessness, chest pain, one-sided weakness or speech change are not normal — call the team or A&E the same day.
Reading your operation note
Your operation note in four parts. Read the last one first.
Whether you had SAVR, TAVI or a mitral repair, the note the team sends you keeps to the same shape.
A quiet reminder
Cardiac surgical language is precise and can read coldly — we translate it for you.
If you would like us to talk you through the note before your review, just ask.
- 01 Header
Valve, pathology and procedure chosen
Which valve (aortic, mitral, tricuspid, pulmonary), the pathology (stenosis, regurgitation, mixed), and the operation or transcatheter procedure agreed by the MDT.
- 02 Technique
Approach, prosthesis and support
Sternotomy vs mini-thoracotomy vs transfemoral, bypass time, cross-clamp time, and the exact prosthesis or clip used with its size and serial number.
- 03 Findings
Intra-op findings and TOE result
What the surgeon or operator found, the intra-operative transoesophageal echo appearance of the new valve, any paravalvular leak, and gradients.
- 04 Impression
Anticoagulation, rehab and surveillance
Read this first: your anticoagulation plan and INR range, cardiac-rehab timing, first echo appointment, and the long-term valve-surveillance schedule.
Recognised by major UK insurers
Cover for heart valve surgery and TAVI is standard with UK private insurers when the procedure is clinically indicated. Device costs, ITU stay and pre-authorisation vary by insurer — we confirm cover before booking.
Frequently asked
Everything we get asked about heart valve surgery.
Quick answers on SAVR vs TAVI, tissue vs mechanical, MitraClip, cost, warfarin, recovery and when to be seen urgently.
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SAVR or TAVI — which is better for my aortic stenosis?
It depends on age, anatomy, STS surgical risk score, coronary disease and life expectancy. UK practice, following PARTNER 3 and Evolut Low Risk, increasingly offers TAVI to intermediate and selected low-risk patients, particularly over 70–75. Younger patients with longer life expectancy often still do better with a surgical valve. The heart-valve MDT makes the call — we make sure both options are properly weighed.
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Bioprosthetic (tissue) or mechanical valve?
Tissue valves avoid lifelong warfarin but wear out in 10–20 years. Mechanical valves last for life but need lifelong anticoagulation with warfarin — DOACs are not licensed for mechanical valves. Broadly: tissue for aortic over 65 or mitral over 70, women planning pregnancy, poor warfarin adherence, high bleeding risk or contact-sport occupations; mechanical for under 60 with good compliance, especially in the mitral position.
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Can my mitral valve be repaired rather than replaced?
For degenerative primary MR (prolapse, flail leaflet), repair with an annuloplasty ring and PTFE neochords is preferred over replacement — SCTS class Ia — with better long-term survival and no lifelong warfarin. Repair is not always possible for rheumatic disease, extensive calcification or endocarditis. A high-volume mitral surgeon repairs the vast majority of degenerative valves.
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What is MitraClip and am I a candidate?
MitraClip (transcatheter edge-to-edge repair, TEER) is a catheter procedure that clips the mitral leaflets together to reduce leak. It is NICE-approved for symptomatic secondary MR on maximal heart-failure therapy (COAPT-selected patients), and for selected primary MR patients too high risk for surgery. The valve-team MDT confirms eligibility.
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How much does private heart valve surgery cost in the UK?
Roughly £25,000–£38,000 for SAVR, £30,000–£60,000 for TAVI, £28,000–£42,000 for mitral repair, £30,000–£55,000 for MitraClip and £12,000–£20,000 for a balloon mitral valvotomy. TAVI and TEER carry a substantial device cost. We come back with firm figures within one working day.
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What is recovery actually like?
After surgery: 1–2 nights in cardiothoracic ITU, 5–7 days on the ward, 6–12 weeks to full activity, cardiac rehab from week 4–6, no driving for 4–6 weeks, no heavy lifting for 12 weeks. After TAVI: 1–3 nights in hospital, most people back to normal activity within 1–2 weeks. Both need lifelong annual echo surveillance.
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Will I need warfarin for life?
Only with a mechanical valve, or if you have another indication (atrial fibrillation, previous clot). Bioprosthetic valves need warfarin for the first three months then usually aspirin. Mechanical aortic: INR 2–3. Mechanical mitral: INR 2.5–3.5. TAVI patients typically use antiplatelet therapy with or without an anticoagulant depending on AF status.
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What about tricuspid or pulmonary valve disease?
Severe symptomatic tricuspid regurgitation — usually surgical annuloplasty, often concomitant with left-sided surgery; transcatheter options (TriClip, PASCAL, EVOQUE) are moving quickly and available in selected UK centres. Pulmonary regurgitation after Tetralogy repair or a Ross procedure is treated with percutaneous pulmonary valve implantation (Melody, Sapien) via the grown-up congenital heart (GUCH) service.
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When should I be seen urgently rather than in clinic?
Sudden severe breathlessness, cardiogenic shock, fever with a known valve problem (possible endocarditis), stroke symptoms, or blackout with known aortic stenosis are 999 or A&E, not a private clinic referral.
Related treatments
Looking for something else?
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Endoscopic mitral valve repair or replacement
Minimally invasive right mini-thoracotomy for isolated mitral disease.
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Coronary artery bypass
CABG for multivessel or left-main coronary disease — often combined with valve surgery.
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Heart failure treatment
Medical therapy, devices and advanced options for reduced-EF heart failure.
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All tests and procedures
Every test and procedure we arrange.
Learn more
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