Neurological Complications After Transcatheter Versus Surgical Aortic Valve Replacement in Intermediate-Risk Patients

The authors of this study analyzed neurological events and quality-of-life in the Surgical Replacement and Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (SURTAVI) trial.  A total of 1746 patients with aortic stenosis and intermediate surgical risk were randomized to either TAVI or SAVR. Neurological events and quality of life were analyzed at 30 days, six months, and 12 months. In this group of elderly (approximately 80 years old) patients with an intermediate risk profile (STS-PROM 4.5), the event rates at 30 days were higher for SAVR as compared with TAVI for both stroke and encephalopathy (5.4% vs. 3.3%, p=0.031 and 7.8% vs. 1.6%; p