Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation in Low and Intermediate Surgical Risk Patients: a Critical Appraisal of Seminal Studies.

Purpose: Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) has grown in popularity as an alternative to surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) for the management of aortic stenosis. In this review, we perform a critical appraisal of the key studies comparing TAVI and SAVR in aortic stenosis patients with intermediate and low risk of operative mortality. Recent findings: Early data from TAVI vs. SAVR trials in low and intermediate surgical risk patients suggest equivalent outcomes at 2 years, with some hints of superiority for TAVI over SAVR in the low-risk group. Initial mid-term data are a bit less favorable for TAVI with interval dissipation of any early survival/stroke advantages and some new questions about TAVI prosthesis durability. Summary: The detailed discussion highlights the distinguishing features of several seminal studies, the salient features of major society treatment guidelines, the gaps in the literature, and the critical controversies that will shape the future of the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]