The Particulars: Recently, transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) became a commercially available treatment for aortic stenosis in the United States. Little is known about the impact that TAVR has had on the overall volume and outcomes from aortic valve interventions of any kind at a national level.
Data Breakdown: For a study, investigators evaluated the overall volume and outcomes from aortic valve interventions at U.S. hospitals from 2008 to 2012. During the study period, the total annual volume of aortic valve interventions increased from 34,699 to 43,282. Even among high-risk cases, overall mortality associated with aortic valve replacement (AVR) decreased from 8.9% in 2011 to 7.0% in 2012.
Take Home Pearl: The introduction of TAVR appears to have increased the number of patients eligible for AVR while also decreasing patient mortality rates.
