title: Transcatheter aortic valve implantation: early experience in Korea.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) was recently introduced in Korea. The present report describes the experience of early TAVI cases.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between March, 2010 and October, 2011, 48 patients with severe symptomatic aortic stenosis (AS) were screened at the Asan Medical Center to determine their suitability for surgical intervention. Of these, 23 were considered unsuitable and underwent TAVI. Procedural success rates, procedure-related complications, and clinical outcomes were evaluated in the TAVI patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Transfemoral (n=20) or transapical (n=3) TAVI was performed. The mean age of patients was 75.9±5.4 years and 57% were females. The mean logistic European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation was 25.6±5.1%. Implantation was successful in 22 patients (19 transfemoral, three transapical). After successful implantation, the mean aortic valve area increased from 0.68±0.14 cm(2) to 1.45±0.33 cm(2). There were no procedure-related complications or mortality. The patients showed no paravalvular aortic regurgitation with ≥ moderate degree and remained stable without progression during follow-up. During follow-up (interquartile range, 1.1-12.9), all patients were alive without any occurrence of valve failure.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  TAVI procedure is feasible in patients with inoperative symptomatic AS leading to hemodynamic and clinical improvement. With accumulation of experience, proper patient selection and development of device technologies, TAVI should decrease adverse events and expand the indications in the near future.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Won-Jang
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Young-Hak
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jong-Young
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Duk-Woo
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Soo-Jin
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Seung-Whan
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Cheol Whan
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Dae-Hee
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jong-Min
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Duk-Hyun
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Jae-Kwan
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Joon Bum
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Sung Ho
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.forename: Suk Jung
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Choo
authors.forename: Cheol Hyun
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Jae Won
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Ji-Yeon
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Sim
authors.forename: In-Cheol
authors.initials: IC
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Seong-Wook
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Seung-Jung
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Park