Abstract

Expanding opportunities in interventional cardiology: reducing aortic insufficiencies with transcatheter aortic valve replacement

Author(s): G Athappan, RD Gajulapalli, ME Tuzcu & SR Kapadia

Aortic insufficiency (AI) is common after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). It has been linked to mortality that has limited the expansion of this promising technique. Inappropriate valve sizing relative to the native annulus, calcification in the aortic annulus and imprecise implantation (too low relative to the annulus) are the most common causes for post-TAVR AI. A thorough understanding of these factors may therefore allow overcoming this complication. In this review, we describe the prediction and reduction of these factors to minimize post-TAVR AI.