Summary

The FDA recently expanded the indications for transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) to include patients at low surgical risk. But experts are urging caution about which low-risk patients should undergo TAVR until more information is gathered. At the STS Annual Meeting in New Orleans, Joseph E. Bavaria, MD, explored recent clinical trials with Tsuyoshi Kaneko, MD, Michael J. Reardon, MD, and Vinod Thourani, MD. They discussed what these trials mean for cardiac surgeons, interventional cardiologists, and the heart team, as well as knowledge gaps about age, bicuspid patients, SYNTAX score, pacemakers, and mechanical valve durability.