Transcatheter Valve Implantation for Patients with Aortic Stenosis

Seven years after the first-in-man transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) for the treatment of aortic stenosis, it remains a dynamic field of research and development. Evidence from 8,000 patients treated worldwide suggests that TAVI is feasible and provides haemodynamic and clinical improvement for up to three years in patients at high risk or with contraindications to surgery. Pending questions mainly concern safety and long-term durability. Today these techniques are targeted at high-risk patients, but they may be extended to lower-risk groups in the future if their initial promise holds true after careful evaluation.