TAVR for Aortic Regurgitation: Proceed with Caution

According to a small, international study, the procedure can be successful in carefully selected patients with regurgitation but no stenosis who are ineligible for surgery.

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is approved in the U.S. for treatment of aortic stenosis in patients who are ineligible for surgery or at high surgical risk. However, outside the U.S., TAVR is being used for a number of other conditions. In this study from 14 centers in Europe and Israel, investigators examined procedural success and outcomes with the self-expanding CoreValve device in 43 patients (mean age, 75; 53% women) with severe, native aortic regurgitation (AR) without aortic stenosis. All were considered unsuitable for open surgery because of comorbidities (mean Society of Thoracic Surgeons score, 10.2%).

Devices were successfully implanted in 98% of patients, 8 of whom required a second valve for residual AR (19%). One…

Reviewing Author

Howard C. Herrmann, MD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardAffluent Medical; Artedrone; Caranx; Johnson & Johnson; Medtronic; Prolifagen; Wells Fargo

EquityMicrointerventional Devices, Inc.

RoyaltiesUniversity of Pennsylvania

Grant/Research SupportAbbott Vascular; Edwards Lifesciences; Johnson & Johnson; Medtronic

Editorial BoardsCatheterization and Cardiovascular Interventions; Journal of the American College of Cardiology; Circulation: Cardiovascular Interventions; JACC Cardiovascular Interventions; JACC Case Reports; JSCAI

Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesHeart Valve Collaboratory (Scientific Committee Member, Chair of the Publications Committee)