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Updated: Feb 7, 2026

Full-root Aortic Valve Replacement by Stentless Aortic Xenografts in Patients with Small Aortic Roots
Published on: May 21, 2017
Suprasternal and Left Axillary Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement in Morbidly Obese Patients
Anna Olds1, Kyle Eudailey2, Tamim Nazif3
1Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, New York Presbyterian Hospital-College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University, New York, New York.
Abstract:
In morbidly obese patients who cannot undergo transfemoral, transaortic, or transapical transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) due to body habitus, suprasternal (SS) and left subclavian/axillary artery (LSCLA) approaches may provide safe TAVR access. Nine morbidly obese patients with a body mass index of 35 or more underwent SS-TAVR (7 patients) or LSCLA-TAVR (2 patients) at two institutions from 2015 to 2017. Mean age was 69.4 ± 7.3 years, and mean body mass index was 50.3 ± 10.6. There were no deaths, valve reinterventions, or reoperations. Three patients required new pacemakers. In morbidly obese patients who are not candidates for the other approaches, SS-TAVR and LSCLA-TAVR allow easier vascular access and prevent the need for thoracotomy or sternotomy.
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