A technique to resect the Edwards SAPIEN 3 Transcatheter Heart Valve 18 months after implantation in case of surgical aortic valve replacement

Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) evolved to an established treatment for meanwhile moderate-risk surgical patients suffering from severe aortic stenosis. Due to its less invasiveness, avoiding the use of cardiopulmonary bypass, the procedure demonstrated to be an efficient and safe treatment option. However, long-term results regarding these new valve prostheses are still lacking. Potential prosthesis failure and/ or dysfunction would require either, if feasible, a transcatheter "valve in valve" procedure, or a conventional surgical valve replacement. In the literature, anecdotal reports are describing surgical removal techniques of the currently transcatheter-implanted prostheses. We herein propose a modified surgical removal technique of an infected Edwards SAPIEN 3 Transcatheter Heart Valve 18 months after its implantation.