Transcatheter aortic valve implantation: The road to a minimalist "stent-like" procedure.

BACKGROUND

Since the first-in-man implantation of a transcatheter aortic stented valve in April 2002 in Rouen, the procedure has expanded worldwide. In our centre, all transfemoral procedures have been performed using local anaesthesia without transoesophageal echocardiographic monitoring.

AIM

To report our experience of transfemoral arterial transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) over the last 2 decades, following the evolution of devices, practices and indications.

METHODS

Between 2002 and 2021, 2097 consecutive patients had a TAVI procedure in our centre. Among them, 1780 underwent transfemoral arterial aortic valve implantation, and were subdivided into three groups according to the time period: before 2009; 2009-2014; and 2014-2021.

RESULTS

Median age was 85 years, and remained unchanged over time. The mean logistic EuroSCORE gradually decreased over time (28% before 2009 vs 15% for 2009-2014 vs 11% since 2014; P<0.001). Predilatation was performed almost systematically before 2009 (93%), but was rarely performed in the last period (14%; P<0.001). Thirty-day all-cause mortality decreased over time, and was only 1.4% in 2021. Length of stay decreased considerably, with a median duration of only 2 days after the procedure, and>70% of patients were discharged home within 72hours. Similarly, procedural duration, X-ray time and contrast volume decreased over time.

CONCLUSION

Transfemoral aortic valve implantation, performed as a minimalist "stent-like" procedure using only local anaesthesia, is feasible in the vast majority of patients, with excellent outcomes.