title: Transcatheter valve implantation for patients with aortic stenosis: a position statement from the European association of cardio-thoracic surgery (EACTS) and the European Society of Cardiology (ESC), in collaboration with the European Association of Percutaneous Cardiovascular Interventions (EAPCI).
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To critically review the available transcatheter aortic valve implantation techniques and their results, as well as propose recommendations for their use and development.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A committee of experts including European Association of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery and European Society of Cardiology representatives met to reach a consensus based on the analysis of the available data obtained with transcatheter aortic valve implantation and their own experience. The evidence suggests that this technique is feasible and provides haemodynamic and clinical improvement for up to 2 years in patients with severe symptomatic aortic stenosis at high risk or with contraindications for surgery. Questions remain mainly concerning safety and long-term durability, which have to be assessed. Surgeons and cardiologists working as a team should select candidates, perform the procedure, and assess the results. Today, the use of this technique should be restricted to high-risk patients or those with contraindications for surgery. However, this may be extended to lower risk patients if the initial promise holds to be true after careful evaluation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Transcatheter aortic valve implantation is a promising technique, which may offer an alternative to conventional surgery for high-risk patients with aortic stenosis. Today, careful evaluation is needed to avoid the risk of uncontrolled diffusion.
authors.affiliation: Hôpital Bichat, Paris, France. alec.vahanian@bch.aphp.fr
authors.forename: Alec
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vahanian
authors.forename: Ottavio
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Alfieri
authors.forename: Nawwar
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Al-Attar
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Antunes
authors.forename: Jeroen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bax
authors.forename: Bertrand
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Cormier
authors.forename: Alain
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cribier
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: De Jaegere
authors.forename: Gerard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fournial
authors.forename: Arie Pieter
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Kappetein
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kovac
authors.forename: Susanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ludgate
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Maisano
authors.forename: Neil
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Moat
authors.forename: Friedrich
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mohr
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nataf
authors.forename: Luc
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pierard
authors.forename: José Luis
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Pomar
authors.forename: Joachim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schofer
authors.forename: Pilar
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tornos
authors.forename: Murat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tuzcu
authors.forename: Ben
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: van Hout
authors.forename: Ludwig K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Von Segesser
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Walther
mesh_terms: D001024:Aortic Valve Stenosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery*; D000075202:Contraindications; D005060:Europe; D019918:Heart Valve Prosthesis Implantation / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D012307:Risk Factors