Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the safety, device performance, and clinical outcome up to 2 years for patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). Background: The role of TAVI in the treatment of calcific aortic stenosis evolves rapidly, but mid- and long-term results are scarce. Methods: We conducted a prospective, multicenter, single-arm study with symptomatic patients undergoing TAVI for treatment of severe aortic valve stenosis using the 18-F Medtronic CoreValve (Medtronic, Minneapolis, Minnesota) prosthesis. Results: In all, 126 patients (mean age 82 years, 42.9% male, mean logistic European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation score 23.4%) with severe aortic valve stenosis (mean gradient 46.8 mm Hg) underwent the TAVI procedure. Access was transfemoral in all but 2 cases with subclavian access. Retrospective risk stratification classified 54 patients as moderate surgical risk, 51 patients as high-risk operable, and 21 patients as high-risk inoperable. The overall technical success rate was 83.1%. Thirty-day all-cause mortality was 15.2%, without significant differences in the subgroups. At 2 years, all-cause mortality was 38.1%, with a significant difference between the moderate-risk group and the combined high-risk groups (27.8% vs. 45.8%, p = 0.04). This difference was mainly attributable to an increased risk of noncardiac mortality among patients constituting the high-risk groups. Hemodynamic results remained unchanged during follow-up (mean gradient: 8.5 ± 2.5 mm Hg at 30 days and 9.0 ± 3.4 mm Hg at 2 years). Functional class improved in 80% of patients and remained stable over time. There was no incidence of structural valve deterioration. Conclusions: The TAVI procedure provides sustained clinical and hemodynamic benefits for as long as 2 years for patients with symptomatic severe aortic stenosis at increased risk for surgery.

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doi.org/10.1016/j.jacc.2010.11.044, hdl.handle.net/1765/26476
Journal of the American College of Cardiology
Erasmus MC: University Medical Center Rotterdam

Buellesfeld, L., Gerckens, U., Schuler, G., Bonan, R., Kovac, J., Serruys, P., … Grube, E. (2011). 2-year follow-up of patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation using a self-expanding valve prosthesis. Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 57(16), 1650–1657. doi:10.1016/j.jacc.2010.11.044