title: Cardio-anesthesiology considerations for the trans-catheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) procedure.
abstract: Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) has become the mainstay for high-risk or inoperable patients with symptomatic aortic valve stenosis, and research regarding the use of transcatheter valves in intermediate or low-risk patients is currently ongoing. The aim of this article is to provide comprehensive insight into the anesthetic management of patients undergoing TAVI and to highlight possible gaps in the current knowledge. One important procedural characteristic that is imperative to consider is the type of anesthesia being used and its possible complications. Increasingly, experienced centers have changed from general anesthesia with endotracheal intubation to local anesthesia with sedation, especially when the transfemoral access route is used for TAVI. There is still debate regarding what type of anesthesia should be used in the procedure, and the lack of randomized data makes it even more challenging for the operators.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Hippokration Hospital, Athens, Greece. Electronic address: elmelidi@yahoo.gr.
authors.forename: Eleni
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Melidi
authors.affiliation: 1st Department of Cardiology, Medical School, University of Athens, Hippokration Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Latsios
authors.affiliation: 1st Department of Cardiology, Medical School, University of Athens, Hippokration Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Kostas
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Toutouzas
authors.affiliation: 1st Department of Cardiology, Medical School, University of Athens, Hippokration Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Manolis
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vavouranakis
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Hippokration Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Ioannis
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Tolios
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Hippokration Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gouliami
authors.affiliation: 1st Department of Cardiology, Medical School, University of Athens, Hippokration Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Ulrich
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Gerckens
authors.affiliation: 1st Department of Cardiology, Medical School, University of Athens, Hippokration Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Dimitris
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tousoulis
mesh_terms: D000758:Anesthesia / Q000379:methods*; D000768:Anesthesia, General; D000772:Anesthesia, Local; D001024:Aortic Valve Stenosis / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D065467:Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement / Q000379:methods*
keywords: Anesthesia; Aortic valve stenosis; Trans-catheter aortic valve implantation