REpositionable Versus BallOOn-expandable Prosthesis for Trans-catheter Aortic Valve Implantation

Important improvements in aortic valve prostheses technology has been made aiming comparable performance of these prosthesis to surgical valve ones.

The experience with the early generation of aortic valve prostheses revealed some important differences regarding the incidence of paravalvular leakage, need for pacemaker or valve thrombosis among them. Currently the new generations of valve prostheses such as Sapien 3 balloon-expandable valve and Lotus, repositionable valve are the most frequently used devices. There are registry data about the clinical performance of these valve types but a randomized comparison is missing.

Inclusion criteria

• Symptomatic aortic valve disease in need of valve replacement
• Heart team (including at least a cardiac surgeon and an interventional cardiologist) agrees on the eligibility that trans-femoral TAVI is appropriate.
• Study patient is an adult of legal consent age.
• Study patient has provided written informed consent to participate in the study

Exclusion criteria

• Life expectancy < 12 months due to co-morbid conditions.
• Native aortic valve annulus size and morphology not suitable for Lotus or Sapien prosthesis implantation
• Preexisting bioprosthetic valve or ring in aortic valve position.
• Pre-existing pacemaker or ICD/CRT.
• Cardiogenic shock or hemodynamic instability.
• History of active endocarditis
• Contraindications for a trans-femoral access.
• Severe left ventricular dysfunction with LVEF <30%.
• Severe mitral valve insufficiency.
• Echocardiographic evidence of intracardiac mass, thrombus or vegetation.
• Patients actively participating in another drug or device investigational study and have not yet completed the primary endpoint follow-up period.
• Patients suffering from dementia.
• Pregnant or nursing women