Complications at the time of transcatheter aortic valve implantation.

Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) improves the prognosis of patients with severe aortic stenosis who are deemed too high risk for surgical valve replacement. However, this evolving technology is associated with a wide range of potential complications--some specific to TAVI, some often fatal. Prevention, early recognition, and effective treatment of these complications will significantly improve the outcome of this procedure and are essential prerequisites before the therapy is extended to lower-risk patient subsets.