Minimally invasive TAVR matches open-heart surgery in 7-year outcomes for aortic valve replacement

Editor's Note

A Phase III clinical trial comparing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) with traditional open-heart surgery found no significant differences in key health outcomes 7 years after treatment, Cedars-Sinai October 27 reports. The international PARTNER 3 trial, led by Raj Makkar, MD, and published in The New England Journal of Medicine, followed 1,000 patients with severe aortic valve stenosis treated at 71 sites.

As detailed in the article, participants were randomly assigned to undergo either TAVR or surgery, with all receiving the same SAPIEN 3 bioprosthetic valve. The study enrolled only patients with low surgical risk. At the 7-year mark, composite rates of death, stroke, or rehospitalization were similar between groups, with 34.6% for TAVR and 37.2% for surgery, a non-significant difference. Bioprosthetic valve failure rates were also comparable at 6.9% and 7.3%, respectively. Quality of life reports did not differ.

The outlet reports that TAVR, a catheter-based valve replacement performed by interventional cardiologists, offers a less invasive alternative to open-heart surgery and has already shown comparable 5-year outcomes in prior trials across all surgical risk levels. The current study further confirms its durability in low-risk patients.

Aortic valve disease affects about 2% of Americans, a figure expected to rise with aging demographics. Cedars-Sinai’s Smidt Heart Institute, a high-volume TAVR center performing nearly 800 procedures annually, highlighted the study’s value in guiding patient care. Eduardo Marbán, MD, PhD, said the findings provide vital data for clinical decision-making. Investigators plan to assess 10-year outcomes next.