Transcatheter aortic valve implantation.

With the improvement in the overall life expectancy, the incidence of aortic stenosis has been increasing. Although aortic valve replacement is a standard therapy, many patients do not undergo surgery for various reasons, including advanced age or the presence of multiple comorbidities. Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) has been proposed as a less invasive and equally effective treatment for inoperable or high-risk symptomatic aortic stenosis. Numerous rigorous global clinical trials, as well as a pivotal clinical trial in Japan, have been conducted. In this review, we provide data on the development of TAVI worldwide and discuss the prospects for TAVI in Japan.