Advantages

TAVI is a much more modern alternative to traditional heart surgery. Instead of the classic 4-6 hour surgery duration, it only takes 60-90 minutes and offers a minimally invasive approach. It is performed through a small 6-8 mm groin incision, without opening the chest cavity. In 60% of cases, a safe sedation is sufficient instead of general anaesthesia.

The recovery process is much faster. 92% of patients are discharged from the intensive care unit within the first 48 hours, and the average hospital stay is only 3-4 days. The risk of surgical wound complications is below 1%, and the risk of hospital-acquired infections is 75% lower compared to traditional surgery.

It provides excellent results, especially in high-risk patients (over 80 years old, with COPD, kidney failure). The 30-day mortality rate is only 3.4%, and thanks to the minimal blood loss (50-100 mL), only 3% of patients require blood transfusion.

Disadvantages

The most important disadvantage is the limited long-term follow-up data. The Partner 3 study showed a 5-year survival rate of 72.4%. Although positive results have been obtained, such as a 96.7% valve durability and 98.9% haemodynamic stability, systematic long-term follow-up is necessary to assess the long-term outcomes.

There are significant risks of complications: vascular complications (4-8%), permanent pacemaker requirement (12-15%), stroke risk (2-3%) and paravalvular leakage (0.5-7%) must be carefully evaluated. According to the VARC-3 criteria, the overall success rate is 94-96%.

Cost is a significant barrier. The price of the valve prostheses ranges from €26,500 to €32,000, depending on the brand. The total cost is 2.5-3 times higher than traditional surgery. Additionally, successful results require an experienced team and a modern hybrid operating room infrastructure.