title: Percutaneous aortic valvuloplasty in inoperable symptomatic severe aortic stenosis in the very elderly.
abstract: Aortic valve replacement is the first therapeutic option in patients with symptomatic severe aortic stenosis. Given the fact that percutaneous aortic valve implantation is a relatively new procedure and the need for palliative treatment in symptomatic patients with a high surgical risk, percutaneous balloon aortic valvuloplasty is still employed. The authors describe two cases of percutaneous balloon aortic valvuloplasty in very elderly patients with severe calcified aortic stenosis not suitable for cardiac surgery, exacerbated in one case by significant coronary artery disease and left ventricular systolic dysfunction. The authors also review the role of this procedure in current interventional cardiology.
authors.affiliation: Serviço de Cardiologia 2 - Centro Hospitalar Lisboa Norte, Hospital Pulido Valente, EPE, Lisboa, Portugal. sousa.cat@gmail.com
authors.forename: Catarina S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Sousa
authors.forename: Pedro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cardoso
authors.forename: Manuela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Adão
authors.forename: Vanda
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Carmelo
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.forename: Susana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Castela
authors.forename: Alexandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ramos
authors.forename: Fátima
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Veiga
authors.forename: Teresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.forename: Roberto Palma
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: dos Reis
mesh_terms: D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001024:Aortic Valve Stenosis / Q000628:therapy*; D002404:Catheterization / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D012720:Severity of Illness Index