[Transcatheter aortic valve implantation.Experience in 26 patients].

BACKGROUND: Aortic valve stenosis (AS) is the most common valvular disease. Its surgical indication is undisputed in symptomatic severe AS, however, 30% of patients are at high surgical risk or inoperable. Transcatheter Valve Implantation (TAVI) is an alternative for this group of patients.

AIM: To describe the clinical outcomes of TAVI in a group of patients treated at the Instituto Nacional del Tórax, Santiago, Chile.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: Prospective study including all patients referred for TAVI due to their high surgical risk or being inoperable. All-cause mortality, secondary stroke, permanent pacemaker implantation, vascular complications, prosthetic and periprosthetic regurgitation, Karnosfky test and Functional Capacity (FC) were assessed as endpoints.

RESULTS: We evaluated 26 patients with a mean age of 82 years (74% women) in whom 27 procedures were done. The mean Society of Thoracic Surgeons score was 8.8%. Overall mortality at 30 days, one and two years was 11.1, 18.5 and 29.6% respectively. Karnofsky score increased significantly from 62.3% at baseline to 83.9; 88.6 and 88.8% at six months, one and two years, respectively. Prior to the procedure, FC was 3.1 ± 0.6, decreasing significantly to 1.2; 1.3 and 1 at six months, one and two years of follow up.

CONCLUSIONS: TAVI is an effective alternative treatment for patients with severe symptomatic AS and high surgical risk.