The “arms race”among transcatheter valves has been vertiginous. By the time we received the mid- or long-term outcomes of studies focused on a given valve, we were already using its next generation in clinical practice. As a result, there is little information addressing which valve is the best. Nowadays, this “arms race” has reached a<a href="https://solaci.org/en/2020/06/24/self-expanding-valve-vs-balloon-expandable-valve-randomized-head-to-head/" title="Read more" >...</a>
Courtesy of Dr. Carlos Fava. We are well aware that both transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) and surgical valve replacement (SAVR) generate bleeding (15% to 22% for TAVR and 22% to 44% for SAVR). Frail patients constitute a particular group. These have not yet been assessed as to the real risk they run and mortality<a href="https://solaci.org/en/2020/06/09/frailty-and-bleeding-impact-on-aortic-valve-replacement/" title="Read more" >...</a>
Courtesy of Dr. Carlos Fava. Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) has shown benefit and is currently moving towards low-risk patients, as well as bicuspid aortic valves and (to a lower extent) aortic regurgitation. However, we must ponder on which valve should be used on each patient: balloon-expandable (BE) or self-expanding (SE) valve? They represent different technologies<a href="https://solaci.org/en/2020/06/03/tavr-balloon-expandable-or-self-expanding-valves-which-is-the-answer/" title="Read more" >...</a>
This meta-analysis tells us that patients with active malignancies and severe aortic stenosis have a good evolution after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), except for a higher rate of pacemaker implantation in the general population. These patients must not be limited to respite care only, at least as far as aortic stenosis is concerned. Short-term<a href="https://solaci.org/en/2020/05/26/malignancies-and-aortic-stenosis-is-tavr-warranted/" title="Read more" >...</a>
Preventing coronary artery obstruction during transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) continues to be a challenge. There are techniques to prevent (or at least reduce) this from happening, which could be catastrophic. However, they all somehow fall into palliative care, that is, they will merely provide relief, rather than a cure. Commissure overlapping and the resulting<a href="https://solaci.org/en/2020/05/26/aligning-prosthetic-valves-to-native-commissures-the-secret-to-coronary-artery-obstruction/" title="Read more" >...</a>
Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) seems to be safe in low-risk patients with bicuspid aortic valve stenosis. Their hospital length of stay was very short, with zero mortality, and zero disabling stroke. Subclinical leaflet thrombosis and device durability are still unknown. The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved TAVR for low-risk patients. However,<a href="https://solaci.org/en/2020/04/27/tavr-reaches-low-risk-patients-with-bicuspid-valves/" title="Read more" >...</a>
Doing a balloon aortic valvuloplasty can be a good way to “buy” time before a transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), according to a registry to be published this week in J Am Coll Cardiol Intv. This study analyzed the database of a whole country to find out the incidence, predictors and outcomes of balloon aortic<a href="https://solaci.org/en/2020/04/13/aortic-valvuloplasty-as-a-bridge-to-tavr-are-we-wasting-our-time/" title="Read more" >...</a>
Three generations of self-expanding valves, three different prognoses for our patients. Design improvements and better materials in self-expanding, supra-annular aortic valves, and their better results, have allowed for the expansion of the indication for transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). Particularly, the addition of a pericardial skirt improves annular sealing and results in a significantly low<a href="https://solaci.org/en/2020/04/08/technological-improvements-in-valves-translate-into-clinical-results/" title="Read more" >...</a>
The initial results of this study presented “virtually” at the American College of Cardiology (ACC) 2020 Scientific Session suggest that patients with severe bicuspid aortic stenosis can be treated with self-expandable valve Evolut. This is a small study presenting its 30-day outcomes. There is still a long way to go. The rate of all-cause mortality<a href="https://solaci.org/en/2020/04/02/virtual-acc-2020-first-results-of-evolut-in-low-risk-bicuspid-valves/" title="Read more" >...</a>
Soon, our website will feature an interesting study showing that sites with a higher number of conventional surgical aortic valve replacements had better outcomes in transcatheter aortic valve replacement procedures. The study featured in this article was scheduled for presentation at the American College of Cardiology 2020 Scientific Session along the World Congress of Cardiology.<a href="https://solaci.org/en/2020/03/25/virtual-acc-2020-unlike-in-tavr-the-number-of-mitral-valve-surgeries-does-not-improve-the-outcomes-of-transcatheter-mitral-valve-repairs/" title="Read more" >...</a>