Seminars in cardiothoracic and vascular anesthesia
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Semin Cardiothorac Vasc Anesth · Mar 2015
ReviewTranscatheter aortic valve replacement: from the femoral artery to the left ventricular apex--the spectrum to access.
The role of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) continues to evolve and expand at a rapid pace. The advanced age and frailty of many TAVR candidates often presents complex vascular access challenges when contemplating the exact route of valve delivery. ⋯ We review the spectrum of access options that may be available for consideration during TAVR procedures and highlight the "pearls and pitfalls" of each technique. We additionally highlight reasons a technique may be preferred for a specific patient subset, as well as the concerns addressed by the anesthesiologist in approaching TAVR.