Transapical and transfemoral aortic valve implantation using the Edwards-Sapien transcaceter valve – clinical characteristics and 6 months follow-up

Critical aortic stenosis is the most common valve disease in patients over 65 years old. Patients with high risk of operations, mainly due to age and coexisting diseases, are not qualified for conventional open-heart surgery. To ensure possibility of treatment and minimize risk of procedure in this group of patients, new type of valves and new type of implantation are revealed. Transcatheter aortic valve replacement including the transarterial and the transapical approach has been introduced. Our paper present results from 6-months follow-up patients after TAVR. In all cases implantation were successful. No major complication were observed during the procedure. After 6 months we didn’t observed any significant valve insufficiency or perivalvular leak in control echocardiography examination. Most of the patients declare improvement in quality of life and symptoms reduction. Based on our clinical experience we prepare diagnostics schema, which is using in all patients preparing to TAVR. Our schema permit assess possibility of transcatheter implantation and allow choose a group of patients suitable for TAVR in very beginning stage of diagnostics.