Point: patients with native aortic regurgitation can be treated with transcatheter aortic valve implantation

Abstract

Approximately 2% of people between the ages of 70 and 83 suffer from moderate or greater aortic regurgitation (AR) in the United States. Left untreated, this disease is progressive and fatal; however, up to 8% of patients with AR, who meet the criteria for surgical intervention, do not receive treatment. As such, there is a pressing need to address the lack of treatment options for the thousands of patients with AR who meet a class I indication for aortic valve replacement but who still do not receive surgery. The advent of transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) has significantly altered the paradigm of treatment for valvular heart disease and is now a well-established therapeutic option for patients with severe aortic stenosis. While transcatheter devices dedicated for the treatment of AR are under investigation, they are not commercially available at this time. Nevertheless, there is a growing body of data that demonstrate acceptable safety and efficacy for the off-label use of current TAVI devices for the treatment of severe AR. Given the dearth of treatment options for inoperable patients with severe AR, available TAVI devices should be considered for this patient population.