Pooled comparative analysis of transcatheter aortic valve replacement versus surgical aortic valve replacement in patients with left ventricular assist device

A thorough literature search was conducted on patients with Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD) and aortic insufficiency undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). We identified all original research studies that compared the long-term outcomes of surgical transcatheter aortic valve replacement (SAVR) versus TAVR for patients with LVAD, published between 1990 and 2023. The primary endpoint was the composite of in-hospital mortality, stroke, transient ischemic attack, myocardial infarction (MI), pacemaker implantation, vascular complications and cardiac tamponade. Secondary endpoints were the median overall survival (OS), the incidence of acute kidney injury (AKI), any bleeding needing transfusions or reintervention and cost. A total of fourteen studies and 358 patients were included (TAVR: 242; SAVR: 116). The composite outcome, the incidence of AKI, the bleeding needing transfusion, along with cost were significantly higher in the SAVR group. In addition, there was no significant difference between TAVR and SAVR in terms of median OS. The median OS in the TAVR group was 18 months. Finally, the most common causes of death were progression of heart failure and pneumonia. The present meta-analysis indicates that TAVR is associated with enhanced outcomes compared to SAVR for patients with LVAD presenting aortic insufficiency. Further well-designed original studies with greater sample sizes are necessary to validate our findings.