Pathological Insights ofTAVRDegeneration and Thrombosis

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement ( TAVR ) has become the standard of care for elderly patients and for patients with severe symptomatic aortic stenosis regardless of age. Although the expansion of TAVR indication to younger and lower-risk patients has merit, data on long-term durability is limited because TAVR is a relatively young technology. Despite the lack of such data, autopsy studies, case reports, and clinical trials all suggest low rates of transcatheter aortic valve degeneration with comparable or better durability than surgically implanted bioprosthetic aortic valves. This chapter summarizes the durability of TAVR bioprostheses from a pathological point of view.