Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2020; 68(S 01): S1-S72
DOI: 10.1055/s-0040-1705304
Oral Presentations
Sunday, March 1st, 2020
Heart Valve Disease
Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation: Cardiologists versus Cardiac Surgeons

A. Elderia
1   Köln, Germany
,
K. Eghbalzadeh
2   Cologne, Germany
,
C. Zeschky
2   Cologne, Germany
,
M. Zeriouh
2   Cologne, Germany
,
M. Adam
2   Cologne, Germany
,
S. Baldus
1   Köln, Germany
,
N. Mader
2   Cologne, Germany
,
E. Kuhn
2   Cologne, Germany
,
T. Wahlers
1   Köln, Germany
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

Publication Date:
13 February 2020 (online)

Objectives: Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) has dramatically improved both therapy of patients with aortic valve stenosis and interdisciplinary collaboration of cardiologists and cardiac surgeons. We therefore compared outcomes of patients undergoing TAVI procedures performed by cardiologists versus surgeons.

Methods: From January 2010 to August 2018, a total of 1,922 patients with severe symptomatic aortic stenosis underwent TAVI procedures in our institution. A matched-pair analysis was performed comprizing a total of 872 patients: 436 procedures were performed by cardiologists (CARD; 50%) and 436 procedures were performed by cardiac surgeons (SURG; 50%). Patient demographics, perioperative characteristics, and intraoperative and postoperative outcome were compared retrospectively.

Results: Patients’ demographics and preoperative parameters did not show statistical differences. For patients undergoing TAVI procedures performed by CARD or SURG, age (81.6 ± 10.6 vs. 81.0 ± 5.4 years; p = 0.663), female gender (44.3 vs. 49.3%; p = 0.154), and STS score (5.3 ± 3.7 vs. 5.2 ± 3.9%; p = 0.875) did not differ significantly. While the duration of the procedure was shorter in the CARD, compared to the SURG group (74.0 ± 33.1 vs. 79.1 ± 23.3 min; p = 0.017), the amount of contrast media was equal (104 ± 62 vs. 102 ± 43 mL; p = 0.380) and the radiation time (13.6 ± 10.2 vs. 11.3 ± 5.9 min; p = 0.032) was shorter in the SURG, compared to the CARD group. Overall in-hospital survival was comparable for CARD and SURG-groups (1.6 vs. 1.8%; p = 1.0).

Conclusion: Both cardiac surgeons and cardiologists can show similar results performing TAVI procedures. TAVI procedures can safely be performed by cardiologists and cardiac surgeons in a close collaboration as a heart team.