In the last decade, TAVR has become an increasingly popular way to replace aortic valves. TAVR is a minimally invasive procedure in which a catheter is used to deliver a replacement valve to the site of the old valve, thus avoiding open-heart surgery. While initially reserved for patients whose poor health makes an open-heart valve replacement too risky, recent studies have shown that in patients with tri-leaflet aortic stenosis, TAVR is a viable option even for low-risk patients.

"This study suggests TAVR is a viable option for patients with bicuspid valve disease who are at increased surgical risk," Forrest said. "It will be very important to continue to monitor these patients to see how the valves perform in 10 or 15 years."


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The American College of Cardiology envisions a world where innovation and knowledge optimize cardiovascular care and outcomes. As the professional home for the entire cardiovascular care team, the mission of the College and its 54,000 members is to transform cardiovascular care and to improve heart health. The ACC bestows credentials upon cardiovascular professionals who meet stringent qualifications and leads in the formation of health policy, standards and guidelines. The College also provides professional medical education, disseminates cardiovascular research through its world-renowned JACC Journals, operates national registries to measure and improve care, and offers cardiovascular accreditation to hospitals and institutions. For more, visit acc.org.

The Journal of the American College of Cardiology ranks among the top cardiovascular journals in the world for its scientific impact. JACC is the flagship for a family of journals--JACC: Cardiovascular Interventions, JACC: Cardiovascular Imaging, JACC: Heart Failure, JACC: Clinical Electrophysiology, JACC: Basic to Translational Science, JACC: Case Reports and JACC: CardioOncology--that prides themselves in publishing the top peer-reviewed research on all aspects of cardiovascular disease.

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