As the use of transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) expands to varying patient populations, impacting the landscape of surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR), this study sought to assess volume and performance trends of aortic valve replacement (AVR) in the United States during 2012-2017. The Nationwide Readmissions Database was queried for patients who underwent endovascular/transapical TAVI, isolated SAVR, or complex aortic valve surgery between 2012 and 2017. Temporal trends in annual case volume, admission costs, in-hospital outcomes, and 30-day readmission were evaluated. Of 624,303 patients (median age 72 years) who received AVR, 387,011 (62%) were men. Among these patients, 170,521 (27%) underwent TAVI and 453,782 (73%) underwent SAVR with 299,398 isolated and 154,384 complex aortic valve surgery. TAVI patients were significantly older and higher risk compared with SAVR patients. From 2012 to 2017, the annual number of TAVI increased from 8,295 to 55,168 whereas SAVR volume remained remarkably stable. Patients who underwent AVR demonstrated significant improvements in mortality, stroke, duration of hospitalization, and 30-day readmission. In conclusion, this large contemporary analysis reports the considerable growth of AVR in the United States. It remains unequivocal that the treatment of aortic stenosis is improving overall with reduced mortality following AVR, highlighting the effectiveness of various process improvements such as newer valves, enhanced patient selection, and the interdisciplinary Heart Team approach.
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