Approximately 30% to 40% of elderly patients with severe, symptomatic aortic valve stenosis are deemed ineligible for surgery because of high perioperative risk. We describe the use of an alternative transfemoral approach known as transcatheter aortic valve implantation in a nonagenarian patient with severe aortic stenosis. Our patient recovered successfully, and by the time of her most recent follow-up visit, 7 months after the procedure, she had regained a substantial degree of function. This result suggests that transcatheter aortic valve implantation can enable some high-risk patients who are ineligible for surgery to undergo valve replacement, thereby regaining both quality and length of life.
Keywords: Aged, 80 and over; aortic valve stenosis/therapy; heart valve diseases/therapy; heart valve prosthesis implantation; patient selection; surgical procedures, minimally invasive.