Energy Loss for Evaluating Transcatheter Valve Performance

Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) has emerged as a new intervention for high surgical risk patients with severe symptomatic aortic stenosis [1]. The outcomes of the early experiences have been promising and the treatment modality is evolving very rapidly. However, mild to moderate paravalvular leaks occur commonly, over 50% of the time, after TAVI. While mild to moderate aortic regurgitation after TAVI may not have significant clinical impact in high surgical risk elderly patients, this degree of regurgitation may have considerable consequences long-term if TAV are implanted in younger and healthier patients.