Expert Opinion: Will PARTNER 2 Change My Practice?

Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) has become an established and increasingly-used technique to treat patients with severe aortic valve stenosis (AS) over the past decade. The clinical outcomes obtained with TAVI have been found to be equivalent to surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) in patients with a high-risk profile. Following the Placement of Aortic Transcatheter Valves (PARTNER) 1 trial, which demonstrated the utility of TAVI in inoperable and high-risk groups, the PARTNER 2 trial was implemented. PARTNER 2 reflects the current TAVI practice in Europe, confirms that transfemoral access is related to superior outcomes compared to SAVR in a selected population and demonstrates improved results with new-generation devices.