Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) has become an established treatment for symptomatic aortic valve stenosis in inoperable patients and high-risk patients. In Germany the TAVI procedure has now surpassed the annual numbers of isolated surgical aortic valve replacement with a recent trend towards treatment of intermediate-risk patients; however, before TAVI can also be used in patients with lower surgical risk, studies are required to demonstrate the safety and efficacy of this method for this patient population.
Keywords: Aortic valve replacement; Aortic valve stenosis; Complications; High-risk patients; Transcatheter aortic valve implantation.