NMC Grand Rounds: Emerging Advances in the Treatment of Aortic Stenosis: Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement

Presented by:  Bialal M. Shafi, MD

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), sometimes referred to as transcatheter valve implantation (TAVI), was developed as an alternative for patients who require an aortic valve replacement for severe aortic stenosis, but are not eligible for the conventional surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR). Many patients diagnosed with severe aortic stenosis are considered too high risk for open heart surgery. As evidence continues to emerge, the TAVR  procedure has now included moderate-risk surgical patients, as well.  Careful patient selection, methodical risk stratification, optimal 
valve sizing and a collaborative team approach with experienced surgeons and interventional cardiologists are important factors to achieve respectable outcomes.

Desired Outcomes:  

• Discuss rationale for Trans-catheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR)
• Review data from seminal TAVR trials
• Delineate demographic utilization of TAVR
• Discuss strategies to improve access to this technology
• Recognize the role of cardiac and vascular CTA in the planning process for structural heart disease

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