Percutaneous transcatheter aortic valve replacement: First transfemoral implant in Asia.

Chiam Paul, Koh TH, Chao VT, Lee CY, See Tho VY, Tan SY, Lim ST, Hwang NC, Sin YK, Chua YL.

Singapore Medical Journal 2009; 50: 534-37.

Abstract

Surgical aortic valve replacement (AVR) is the standard of care for patients with symptomatic severe aortic stenosis (AS), providing relief of symptoms and prolonging survival. However, many patients are either denied or not offered surgery due to high surgical risk or non-operability for open AVR. The technology of percutaneous aortic valve implantation emerged in 2002, and has since evolved rapidly with satisfactory results. Currently, almost all the procedures are performed predominantly in Europe and North America. The first-in-Asia percutaneous transcatheter aortic valve implantation via the transfemoral route is described. A 77-year-old man with symptomatic severe AS and at high surgical risk was successfully treated, with sustained clinical improvement and satisfactory haemodynamic results at 30-day follow-up.