Transesophageal Echo in Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation

Abstract

Aortic stenosis (AS) has been the most common valvular heart disease in the past decades. Although surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) is a well-established therapy, transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) provides an alternative treatment option for inoperable and high surgical risk patients with symptomatic AS. Echocardiography plays an important role in procedural planning, device placement or deployment, and post-procedure follow up. Intra-procedural transesophageal echocardiography is recommended by the American Society of Echocardiography because of its incomparable ability to provide rapid and accurate information, to evaluate the early function of the bioprosthesis, to define the severity and location of paravalvular leakage, and to detect complications such as sudden worsening of MR, new left ventricular wall motion abnormalities, cardiac tamponade, and dissection or rupture of the aortic root.