title: Position statement for the operator and institutional requirements for a transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) program.
abstract: The Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand (CSANZ) and the Australia and New Zealand Society of Cardiac and Thoracic Surgeons (ANZSCTS) have joined together to provide recommendations for institutions and individual operators to assess their ability to initiate and maintain a transcatheter valve program. Transcatheter aortic valve replacement has been developed as an alternative to traditional surgical replacement of the aortic valve in high risk patients, particularly the frail elderly. The position paper has endorsed the important role of a multi-disciplinary "Heart Team" in selecting patients for TAVI as fundamental to the establishment of a successful program. The paper outlines recommendations for the cardiologist to have a background in structural intervention and the surgeon to have experience in high-risk aortic valve replacement. It is further recommended that TAVI programs be established in high volume cardiac surgical centres where on site valve surgery is performed. The paper is intended to provide guidance to individual operators and prospective institutions considering the establishment of a successful TAVI program.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Prince Charles Hospital, Queensland 4032, Australia. Electronic address: darren.walters@health.qld.gov.au.
authors.forename: Darren L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Walters
authors.affiliation: Green Lane Cardiovascular Service, Auckland City Hospital, Auckland, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Webster
authors.affiliation: Waikato Hospital, Hamilton, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Sanjeevan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pasupati
authors.affiliation: Victorian Cardiovascular Services Epworth Hospital, Victoria 3121, Australia.
authors.forename: Antony
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Walton
authors.affiliation: St Vincent's Hospital, New South Wales 2010, Australia.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Muller
authors.affiliation: Green Lane Cardiovascular Service, Auckland City Hospital, Auckland, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Jim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Stewart
authors.affiliation: Dunedin Hospital, Dunedin, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.affiliation: St Vincent's Hospital, Victoria 3065, Australia.
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: MacIsaac
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Prince Charles Hospital, Queensland 4032, Australia; Heart Care Partners, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: Greg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Scalia
authors.affiliation: Cardiothoracic Surgery, RPAH Medical Centre and The Heart Care Centre, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.affiliation: Waikato Hospital, Hamilton, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: El Gamel
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Prince Charles Hospital, Queensland 4032, Australia.
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Clarke
authors.affiliation: Flinders Medical Centre, South Australia 5042, Australia.
authors.forename: Jayme
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bennetts
authors.affiliation: Cardiothoracic Surgery, RPAH Medical Centre and The Heart Care Centre, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bannon
mesh_terms: D001315:Australia; D006801:Humans; D009520:New Zealand; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D012955:Societies, Medical; D013903:Thoracic Surgery; D065467:Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement / Q000592:standards*
keywords: Aortic stenosis; TAVI; TAVR; Transcatheter valve implantation