Transcatheter aortic valve implantation for the treatment of pure aortic valve insufficiency

Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) has become an established alternative to surgery in patients with calcific aortic stenosis. Broad implementation of devices and increased experience have led operators to explore the feasibility of TAVI in off-label indication such as pure native aortic valve regurgitation. Given the technical issues related to the absence of leaflet calcification and aortic root or ascending aorta dilation, this procedure is typically performed in patients in whom surgical risk is deemed prohibitive. Although recently published data have shown encouraging results in patients treated with new generation prostheses, new iteration of transcatheter valves, specifically designed for the treatment of aortic regurgitation, is needed. Nowadays, with no dedicated system on the horizon and in order to guarantee the best results, efforts should be made to improve patient selection.