Echocardiography in transcatheter aortic valve implantation—Part 1—Transthoracic echocardiography

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) has been a revolutionary technique in the treatment of degenerative aortic valve stenosis. Selection of appropriate patients and appropriate valve size is crucial for improved patient outcome. Echocardiographic imaging is a critical component for patient selection and plays an important role in the selection of valve size, procedural guidance, and patient follow-up. This review discusses role of echocardiography in patient selection, device implantation, and postimplant follow-up for the first-generation CoreValve as used in pivotal trial. Same TTE imaging principles apply to the second- and third-generation self-expandable valves as well as the balloon-expandable valves. Multiple case examples are used to illustrate imaging principles pre- and post-TAVR. In addition, case examples to demonstrate complications post-TAVR are shown.