Use of a balloon-expandable transfemoral sheath in a TAVI cohort with complex access site - a propensity score matched analysis.

Aims: In patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI), the high prevalence of peripheral artery disease (PAD) limits femoral access and increases vascular complications that are associated with mortality and morbidity. Our study assessed the ability of a balloon-expandable large-bore vascular sheath to increase access-site availability and to reduce vascular complications.

Methods And Results: Among 257 patients from two centres, 43 patients underwent transfemoral TAVI with the use of the SoloPath balloon-expandable sheath due to complex iliofemoral access anatomy.