Echocardiography in transcatheter aortic valve implantation

Abstract

Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) has become a feasible and effective therapeutic option for patients with severe aortic stenosis and high operative risk or relative contraindications for surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR). Patient selection plays a crucial role in the success of TAVI. Echocardiography is a mainstay during the whole process starting with the very important morphological evaluation and accurate measurement of the aortic root, followed by guiding the procedure and detecting possible complications, and ending with serial assessment of the patient's heart and the implanted prosthesis. This present article reviews the role of echocardiography before, during, and after transcatheter aortic valve implantation.