[Transcatheter aortic valve implantations in 2011: the interventional cardiologist]

Since the first transcatheter aortic valve implantation 9 years ago, constant technological progress and simplification of the procedure have been observed. For two devices in particular (Edwards SAPIEN valve and CoreValve), considerable clinical experience has been gained, with over 17,000 implantations each. The safety and efficacy of this technique have recently been confirmed in the randomized trial Partner. Consequently, the end of 2010 saw the TAVI (Transcatheter aortic valve implantation) become the standard-of-care for selected patients deemed inoperable on the basis of age or co-morbidities and now is an acceptable alternative to surgery in selected high-risk operable patients. However, the selection of patients and the technique used (trans-arterial or trans-apical) require a multidisciplinary approach which remains essential for procedural success.