Introduction: Due to the selective criteria and short-term follow-up of previous transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) trials, the coronary revascularization incidence after TAVI has been difficult to determine. This study investigated the epidemiology of coronary revascularization after surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) and TAVI in patients with severe aortic valve stenosis (AS), with and without coronary artery disease (CAD), in a mid-term follow-up, single-center, real-world setting.
Methods: Between 2010 to 2020, 1486 patients with AS underwent SAVR or TAVI with balloon-expandable Edwards® transcatheter heart valves (THVs). Using hospital discharge records, we could estimate for each patient resident in Emilia Romagna the rate of ischemic events treated with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). A subgroup without CAD was also analyzed.
Results: The 5-year overall survival was 78.2%. Freedom from PCI after AVR and TAVI at 5 years was 96.9% and 96.9%, respectively, with previous PCI as a predictor (HR 4.86, 95% CI 2.57-9.21 p < 0.001). The freedom from PCI curves were not significantly different.
Conclusions: Notwithstanding the aged population, the revascularization incidence was only 2.4%, requiring further evaluation even in younger patients with longer follow-up. Despite the profile frame raise due to the evolution of Edwards® balloon-expandable THVs, PCI or coronarography feasibility were not compromised in our population.
Keywords: PCI; SAVR; TAVI; coronary re-access.